Let the Dove Fly
by brightredcherries
Summary: AU. A once peaceful kingdom turns into a tyranny after death befalls the King of the Saiyans. Ruled by a now oppressive, blood thirsty human Queen; a human princess holds the key to the Queen's downfall.
1. Years Later

**So...lately, I've been reading fairytales by the Brothers Grimm. I used to love them as a kid, even though some of them I thought were creepy, but I still loved when my parents read them to me :) So I figured why not turn the tales into a fic? Well here it is, and I hope you guys really enjoy it!**

**Let the Dove Fly**

**Summary: AU. A once peaceful kingdom turns into a tyranny after death befalls the King of the Saiyans. Ruled by a now oppressive, blood thirsty human Queen; a human princess holds the key to the Queen's downfall. (Based on the Brothers Grimm Snow White and Cinderella).**

* * *

><p>Long ago, there was a young girl, with hair as blue as the sea, skin white as a porcelain doll, and lips as rosy as her cheek. Her name was Princess Bulma; bore from the King of Earth, Balthasar and Queen Adelaine, who died giving birth to Bulma. The King mourned for his beloved wife, for now he had to take care of their sweet bundle of joy on his own. The first two years of his daughter's life, however brought him more joy than he could ask for. His daughter's smile and laughter gave him indescribable happiness, as if she were slowly healing him from the broken heart that he once had.<p>

After the princess' second birthday, Balthasar wedded another maiden, Guinevere, to be Queen and act as Bulma's new mother figure. With Guinevere came her two daughters, Chi-Chi and Launch. The new Queen was not particularly fond of her new stepdaughter, but paid her no mind. Her daughter's, Chi-Chi and Launch were selfish, self-centered children that were jealous of the attention that their stepsister earned from the other members of the royal court. The two of them were disgusted when people spoke highly of the toddler, and how she would be the best ruler of Earth and Vegeta when she came of age in the future.

One stormy, summer night, the Queen was returning to her and the King's quarters when a sudden black stream of smog shot into the mouth, ears, and nose of the Queen, forever possessing her. Just a month later, thinking that the night would be full of passion and lust, the newly wicked Queen took the King's sword and stabbed him through is chest. To all the people inside and outside the palace, the King's death was a mystery. Some suspected it was the Queen; others suspected that it may have been any of the royal guards who were spies for an enemy of the kingdom. Against her will, Guinevere took in young Bulma, since it was the will of Balthasar and she thought the young girl could be useful later on. Two years after Balthasar's death, the Queen, now ruler of the Earth, learned that the union of Earth and Planet Vegeta would prove to be a beneficial alliance, not only for military purposes, but the Queen knew of the real secret behind her marriage to King Tarble.

Once Guinevere and Tarble were married for three years, the young King Tarble observed his new wife, believing there was something off about this delicate, seductive creature. He thought her to be as sweet as a viper's venom, and that her two daughters were no better than a horse's ass. He came to the conclusion, that like other woman before her, Guinevere was after the sacred treasure of the Saiyan kingdom. Believing her to be the only one with a kind, gentle heart, Tarble entrusted a seven year old Bulma with his greatest treasure, and for her to protect it, for his treasure would be destructive in the wrong hands. What Bulma saw was a medallion in the shape of a dragon. At that moment, she didn't know that she held the secret to the balance of the universe in her hands.

* * *

><p><em>Fourteen years later...<em>

Since her stepfather's depressing death, the gentle and pure Princess Bulma had been made a servant. Though it came with some special treatment, like sleeping in a normal suite like her stepsisters and not having to eat the scraps that the servants are given, she was a servant nonetheless. Only very few people knew that she was a princess, and that the Queen has done nothing but oppress her title into nearly nothing. Unknown to Bulma, there was always someone who would regard her for the princess that she is, but it wouldn't be until now that the same person would come into her life.

xxx

Her bright blue eyes jolted open. She faintly remembered her dream being about her stepfather, Tarble, specifically the last day that she looked him in the eyes and watched him leave her. Fourteen years since she received the awful knew that another father of hers left this life. Bulma had vague memories of her biological father, Balthasar, and even less memories of her mother. The only thing she had left of any of them was old mementos and other valuables. The one she held most dearly to her was the same dragon medallion that Tarble left her so long ago. She took heed to her father's words, and kept the medallion safely hidden from anyone outside of herself.

She sat up from her lying position in her bed, swinging her legs over the right side. She opened the secret cubby underneath her bed, slowly taking the huge chunk of the floor and setting it aside. There lied her greatest treasure. Bulma held the gold medallion against her warm hands.

_I miss you dearly, Tarble. Why did you and my real father have to go so soon? _She wondered, tucking the sacred necklace back in her hiding spot.

Once she cleaned herself in her water basin and changed her clothes, Bulma sat in front of her mirror and pulled her long, vibrant turquoise locks into a French braid to her right shoulder. She immediately took her leave to the servants' quarters just around the corner from her mediocre suite. As she walked on, she could see other servants who started their work early. A few of the elderly women greeted her on her way to her destination. Bulma always noticed that some of the servants greeted her with such cheer from time to time. Though she was appreciative of their smiles and cheery tones, it threw her off a little bit. In her heart and mind, Bulma knew that she would always be a princess; at least she had her two fathers' who treated and regarded her as one. It had been such a long time since anyone called her 'Princess Bulma' or 'Princess' at all. All she remembered for most of her childhood and teenage years was cleaning and being an obedient servant, while listening to her stepsisters ridicule her under their breaths and also in front of her. All the time that she watched her stepmother and stepsisters wear the finest dresses and be shown the upmost respect, it made the young girl miss her life before her father and Tarble's passing. From what she did remember, both of her father's used to play with her, read her stories before bed, and genuinely loved her.

_I remember being told that Guinevere was supposed to be a mother figure. If you could only see her now, Daddy. At least Tarble could see how she treated me before he died, _Bulma thought, putting her sad thoughts aside.

"A good morning to you, Bulma." Another servant, Gretel greeted, while hanging up bed sheets on the clothes line.

"Good morning to you too, Gretel." Bulma replied, helping the older woman with her work.

Gretel couldn't help but smile. "Oh, bless you, child. I'm getting too old for all this work, but her Highness isn't too concerned with my health."

"No worries, Gretel, I could help you from time to time. Whenever you need, just tell me." Bulma offered, hanging another sheet on the line.

"You are too kind to me, Bulma." Gretel muttered, shyly.

"Really, it's no problem. Most days I'm done before the sun sets." Bulma admitted, continuing to help.

About a few seconds later, a bush of raven haired flashed in front of Bulma's eyes. What appeared was a short, pale skinned girl with the largest green eyes. "Hi, Bulma!"

"Oh, hello, Felicity!" Bulma chirped, hanging another bed sheet, "I was just helping Gretel with the laundry."

"Thank you again, Bulma. I better get a move on with the rest of my work." Gretel whispered, giving Bulma gentle pat on her shoulder before taking her leave.

"Good day to you, Gretel." Bulma responded, watching the older woman go.

"So, how have you been?" Felicity questioned, curiously while Bulma continued her work.

"I actually had a dream about my father and Tarble last night...just all of my memories of the two of them." Bulma told her, watching the laundry blow in the subtle wind.

"Oh yes. Today is the anniversary of Balthasar's death." Felicity remembered Bulma mentioning before that this was drawing near.

Bulma smiled to herself. "It is still sad for me to not have my father, but I'm not mourning anymore. My father and Tarble are in the heavens of Otherworld, watching over me."

"That's a great way to think about it. At least you knew your parents. Mine are alive, but they just traded me away to the Queen so they wouldn't be executed." Felicity grumbled, as her Saiyan tail wiggled around.

Bulma looked to her young friend, prepared to give her words of wisdom. "Felicity, holding animosity in your heart over your parents abandoning you will just use up extra energy that you could use on being happy. It takes more energy to frown that it does to smile."

"Wow, Bulma, you always know the right thing to say. Moving onto other subjects how's that 'mating' with Launch and that Saiyan guard?" Bulma attempted to restrain herself from laugh too loud, but she thought her raven haired friend's comment was hilarious.

"Well, saying that she is easy and desperate for fornicating would be an understatement. It's not surprising at all that no men in the court would want to be her suitor." Bulma said, as the two girls continued to laugh.

"I'm not surprised. She's pretty on the outside, but she has absolutely no inner beauty. She has the inner beauty of a donkey." Felicity added, as they continued their giggling.

"Oh, there you are, Bulma." A sour, feminine voice said, flipping her dark brown hair, "Look, you need to clean mine and Launch's suites, sew this basket full of ripped dresses, and I need you wash my silk undergarments."

Bulma's laughter quickly faded once Chi-Chi slammed her basket full of dresses in front of her feet. "Yes. I'll get right to it, Chi-Chi."

"See ya, Bulma." Felicity mumbled, heading the opposite direction.

xxx

Cleaning Launch and Chi-Chi's suites were like cleaning out horse stables, except without the putrid smell. Bulma wondered during the four hours she spent cleaning both suites, was how could they call themselves princesses when they tolerated living in filth. Their bed sheets were tossed all over the floor, their dirty clothing lied in random places, and she nearly tripped over their shoes trying to clean. For as long as she could remember, Bulma always hated cleaning up after her sisters...and that will never change.

Once she finished the dreadful work, Bulma walked out to the garden to sew Chi-Chi's torn dresses. While she started sewing, she looked all around her at the beautiful, exotic Saiyan flowers and plants. She especially loved to sit under the huge white blossom tree and take in the lovely aroma while reading or even doing chores. Continuing to sew the delicate silk, Bulma's thoughts lingered to her future and what would become of it. Though she made plenty of friends being a servant for so long, but she missed her other life. The life that she was a part of by birth right and lineage, not by marriage like her step family.

_Daddy, you never treated me like this. I enjoyed and appreciated being the apple of your eye after mother died. You showed me all the love and adoration in the world. Why couldn't you see the real Guinevere? Why were we too late in preventing all this death and sorrow? I need you now more than ever, Daddy_, Bulma thought, nearly poking at herself with the needle.

She chose to continue with her sewing for the day, enjoy the beautiful garden as a whole. Just a beautiful as a Saiyan flower bloomed Bulma knew that in her heart, things in her life would turn out for the better.

* * *

><p>"Stop moving around, you low class trash!" A guard growled, as he and another guard were dragging a man to the Queen's throne.<p>

"Please, I meant no harm...please!" Guinevere could hear a citizen begging, as she opened her harsh green eyes.

"Your Highness, we've caught this man stealing food from the market." The guard reported, firming his grip on the man's arm.

"Please have mercy your Highness! I was trying to feed my family and keep them from starving." The man pleaded, as warm tears fell down his cheeks.

"While I understand your intentions, it's against Saiyan law for theft. Since I'm in a forgiving mood, you can spend twenty years in the dungeon." Guinevere told him, rolling her eyes. She motioned for him to be taken out.

"Twenty y-years? For food? Please, just let me go!" The man begged, struggling to get away from the guards.

_Why must I deal with such foolishness? It's been years since Tarble's death and I have yet to figure this out, _Guinevere thought, deeply exhaling before rising from her throne, "Baba, your presence is needed."

The short, stumpy, six hundred year old prophetess appeared with a shiny, ivory glass ball. Her face was in its normal scowl. "Yes, your highness?"

"Dear Baba, who's the fairest of them all?" Guinevere questioned, in an abnormal tone of patience.

"Why your Highness, you are the fairest of them all. Will that be all for you today?" Baba asked, holding her ball close to her.

"No. Thank you for your time, Baba." The Queen dismissed the Prophetess away, while remaining pleased with herself. She felt that her position as Queen was full proof and there was no denying her power. What wasn't clear to Guinevere was the location of the kingdom's treasure.

_I'm certain that Tarble left it behind. It has to be in someone's possession, and I have every intention of finding out who that person is, _Guinevere thought, leaving her t

xxxx

Bulma continued sewing Chi-Chi's torn dresses back in the garden. Unbeknownst to her, there were Saiyan guards staring at her. Any Saiyan guard knew it was a rarity to come across beautiful women, and an Earthling female at that.

"Wow, she's a looker, huh?" One asked, wiping the drool off his face.

"It's no wonder she's not royalty. The Queen's daughter's have about as much beauty as an Oozaru." Another mentioned, as they all began laughing.

"Yeah, I didn't know there were good looking servants nowadays. Sometimes you can't look beneath the dirt on their faces." Someone else chimed in.

"Or the fact that some of them are just good for fucking." The last of them added, as the laughter continued.

Bulma could feel someone watching her. As she turned her gaze to the group of Saiyan guards, all the group of men could do was blush at the sight of her smile at them. Even they couldn't deny how pure her face looked to them.

_Well, that was new...it's very seldom a group of men happen to stare at me, _Bulma thought, going back to sewing. It wasn't until she could hear someone's footsteps approaching the tree she was sitting under. "Ummm, hello."

"Sorry for the disturbance, but the Queen requests your presence right away." The guard told her, as she set the dress back in the basket.

"Of course." Bulma replied, following the guard. She didn't understand it. Why would Guinevere want anything to do with her? She was well aware that the wretched, tyrannical women despised her for most of her life, and Bulma reciprocated the malice, though she held her tongue.

_I guess I'll find out what the demon wants, _Bulma thought, as they appeared in the throne room, "You wished to see me, your Highness?"

The demon let her hazel eyes pierce into the vibrant blue ones of her stepdaughter. "There's no need to curtsy, Bulma dear. Have you finished sewing your sister's dresses?"

"I have. Is there anything I could do for you?" Bulma inquired, pretending to show concern, _As if I care about doing anything for such a woman._

"No that will not be needed. All that I ask is that you finish your chores early, so that you may join your sisters and me for dinner." Guinevere admitted, letting the invitation be blunt.

Bulma would be lying if she said she wasn't shocked. Dinner? With the insufferable, whores she called stepsisters? And a stepmother that she regretted ever having?

"I'd be delighted to." Bulma answered, biting her tongue.

The Queen clapped her soft hands with delight. "Wonderful! I'll be sure you are escorted down to the dining hall this evening."

"All right. If you'll be so kind, I must finish my work now." Bulma said, excusing herself from the Queen's presence. After quickly leaving, Bulma felt completely awkward. As she made her way back to the garden, she found it odd that her stepmother decided to be cordial to her all of a sudden, considering how long the blasphemous woman had been treating her like crap. For most of her life, her stepmother and stepsisters have treated her just as bad as any other servant and now suddenly she's being nice. That just screamed suspicious.

_I guess horrid women aren't as predictable as I thought them to be, _She thought, continuing her stroll back to the garden. She noticed that the sun was beginning to set, so she picked up the pace in her feet and returned to the garden faster than she anticipated. Bulma put the thought of her stepmother in the back of her mind and focused on finishing her chores.

"Bulma! BULMA! Wait up!" Felicity's voice rang throughout the corridor, as she ran in Bulma's direction.

"Oh, I haven't seen you all day. How was your day?" Bulma asked, picking up the basket she left under the tree in the garden.

"Uneventful. I couldn't stand to clean the Queen's chamber. It just felt wicked in there...like something evil was watching me." Felicity admitted, shivering.

"I had to clean Chi-Chi's chamber. Like always, it's filthy and all of her clothes are thrown everywhere. She has absolutely no class. Well, I'll see you this evening. I have to return Launch's laundry." Bulma smiled, heading off to her stepsister's chamber. As she drew closer, she found the room four doors down from Chi-Chi. Before entering, she gave a good knock on the door, but there was yet to be an answer.

"Launch, I have your laundry...Launch, please open the door." Bulma said, just before opening the door herself, as she walked further around the corner, her face turned up at the sight of her naked with one of the Saiyan guards. Though he had his armor still on, he looked quite humiliated. He covered Launch with the thin, silk sheet and discreetly left.

"Oh, Launch, I'm terribly...," Bulma started, before a loud smack rang through her ears. She realized that she had been knocked to the ground, and she could feel the sting pulsating through her cheek.

Launch's face turned up like a dirty, rotten hag. "If you tell anyone of what happened here, I will have you executed, and with _no_ mercy."

After picking herself back up, Bulma left her stepsister's room, running back to her chambers. On her way back, she stopped in a nearby courtyard and noticed that the stars were out. She knew that she had to meet her stepmother in the dining hall, but if Launch hadn't been there yet, then dinner wasn't done. Bulma took a minute to sit down on a small stone bench, beginning to cry. She looked up at the stars, as she wiped her tears away.

_I wish that something good can become of my life. All I've been through is nothing but endless sorrow, _She thought, feeling the small wind blow through her long, turquoise locks.

While she wasn't paying her surroundings any mind, a tall, Saiyan male with messy hair, navy blue spandex suit, and Saiyan armor with the crest over the heart was observing her. Even Goku had to admit to himself that she was a lovely creature, and that he hadn't seen beauty like hers before. Her eyes a vibrant blue, recognizable grace and elegance, and a vibrant face under the moonlight.

He decided to speak up when he heard her sniffing. "Excuse me, ma'am, may I ask what are you doing out here crying?"

"If you must know, sir, I am very unhappy with my life as we speak." Bulma admitted, wiping the other tears that were steady falling down her cheeks.

"Well, I don't seem to understand why, when a maiden such as yourself is a part of the royal family." Goku admitted, casually.

"Oh, you are mistaken. I am not royalty." Bulma told him, plainly.

His facial expression turned into one of confusion. "Aren't you Princess Bulma? The daughter of the late King Balthasar and Queen Adelaine?"

"You flatter me, kind sir. No one has given me the title of Princess since my other father Tarble passed on." Bulma's lips turned into a small smile.

_Does she not know of the true fate of Balthasar and Tarble's fates?_ He wondered, pushing the thought of his head. "People still regard you as a princess, and many of those people are wondering what has become of you."

"What kind of people may I ask?" Bulma questioned, curiously.

"People who know about the Queen's true nature. Do not fret, princess, for the truth will reveal itself in due time." Goku reassured her, before taking his leave in an instant.

After he was gone, Bulma wondered what he meant about Guinevere's true nature. Was there something going on that she didn't know about?

_Hmmm, very odd_. With that thought in mind, Bulma headed back to her chambers to prepare to be thrown to the lions.

* * *

><p>She felt out of place, entirely. The situation and setting was awkward with every second that passed. No one had uttered a word for fifteen minutes, and it was making Bulma irritated. As she played with her food, Bulma pondered on what the man told her in the courtyard. Did her stepmother have a hidden agenda? Was it good or bad? If it was bad, was it a threat to the entire planet?<p>

"So, Bulma dear, how was your day?" Guinevere asked, making polite conversation.

_Are you kidding me? What do you think I do all day? _She tried really hard to roll her eyes, "All I did was clean and sew, like you have required of me."

"So you never do anything in your spare time?" Guinevere questioned, before chewing on a piece of quail.

"No. Most of the chores I have fill up the majority of my days, so all I have time for is eating, sleeping, and cleaning." Bulma answered, straightening out the napkin in her lap.

"Yeah, because that's what she's meant for." She heard Chi-Chi mutter under her breath, as Launch snickered with her. Bulma chose to ignore it, so that they wouldn't gain any satisfaction.

"Play nice, girls." Guinevere warned, sipping her wine.

Feeling awkward, Bulma went back to eating little bits of her meal. She still couldn't fathom how she lived with these three horrible women for so many years without going mad. After a few minutes of silence, she figured now would be a good time to leave. "Might I be excused? I really have to get my rest for tomorrow."

"Of course." Guinevere mumbled, as Bulma tucked in her chair and showed herself out.

"Why would you invite that piece of trash have dinner with us, mother?" Launch asked, expressing her anger.

"Yeah, that's morally wrong." Chi-Chi scoffed, growling.

"Girls, it's about time we started treating Bulma like the family she is, and that's all I'm going to say on the matter. Now go on, run to bed." Guinevere shooed away her daughters. Chi-Chi and Launch gave each other looks before listening to their mother's order.

Minutes after Chi-Chi and Launch left, Bulma came back to retrieve her handkerchief. "It would be just my luck to leave something valuable behind."

"Forget it! I'm doing this my way, and that's final!" Bulma could hear Guinevere's voice from down the corridor. As she quietly approached the edge, she carefully listened to the conversation.

"You know she's eventually going to learn the truth about what has happened to Balthasar and Tarble." Bulma could hear the Queen's right hand, Dante, talking to her. Why were they talking about her two fathers? And just what truth was there to be learned?

The Queen's eyes turned lethal, as her head whipped around. "You dare question me?"

"I would never defy your orders, my Queen, but it goes without saying that someone else in the court could tell her. For whatever reason, she may find out whether we like it or not." He continued, stating the facts.

"No one will tell her of how I killed Balthasar and Tarble, unless they wanted to be sentenced to death." Guinevere hissed.

Bulma's blood went cold. Of all the suspicions she had of her stepmother, she would have never thought she'd be the one who was responsible for father's death or Tarble's. She couldn't believe what her ears had listened in on. Her feet guided her back to her room to sob, having to accept the horrible news.

* * *

><p><strong>Hey guys, so I wanted to post the mainsupporting cast list for this story and the characters they are based on, just so you have something to reference the characters on, so here it is:**

**Snow White/Cinderella**: Bulma, 21 years old, daughter of the late King Balthasar and Queen Adelaine of Earth, Princess of Planet Vegeta through her stepmother's marriage to the late King Tarble.

**Prince/Prince Charming**: Vegeta, 22 years old, and is the Prince of a distant land on Planet Vegeta that is not under Queen Guinevere's jurisdiction.

**Evil Queen/Stepmother**: Guinevere [OC] (her name is an oxymoron, because her name means light, but her character is dark.)

**Dante**: The Queen's right hand man, who has remained loyal to her since he's been of service;

**Mirror/Prophet**: Fortuneteller Baba, 600 years old, tells the Queen of the near future regarding her rule over the two planets and possibly the universe.

**Godmother/Gretel/Bulma's Confidant**: Puar, 300 years old. She disguises herself as an elderly woman named Gretel who does chores with Bulma and other servants.

**Stepsisters**: Chi-Chi and Launch; 26 years old.

**Huntsman/Saiyan Elite**: Goku, 35 years old, best friend and Saiyan Elite of the late King Balthasar.

**Dwarves/Mice**: Yamcha, Raditz, Krillin, Android 18 (her human name will Camilla), Tien, Android 17 (his human name will be Themistocles), Piccolo, Gohan (11 year old version).

**Well, that's it for right now! I hope you guys like this chapter so far, and don't forget to R&R!**

**Cherriez**


	2. The Tale of Two Kings

**Soooo, I guess the last chapter was okay based on the number of reviews :D No matter what, I'm going to keep writing for the simple fact that maybe people will read more if they see more chapters are being put up. Even though it's an AU, there will be minimal similarities with the DBZ series, so be on the lookout. **

**Thanks to all who reviewed!**

* * *

><p>She awoke the next morning, hearing the rain drops outside her window. It was a moderate rain shower, but she had a feeling it would become heavier as the dark clouds passed on. The weather matched her mood. Ever since the night before, Bulma felt as if her entire world had just been tipped off the entire universe. Guinevere killing her father and stepfather managed to seep itself into her mind. She always knew that her stepmother had a wicked heart, but she never expected for her to be a murderer.<p>

The only person she confided in was Felicity. Any other servant tended to gossip and the last thing she wanted to risk was a riot amongst the Saiyan people. Guinevere would literally have her head if she did so.

"I always knew she was horrid, but I didn't think she would be the one to kill King Tarble. How could she be so cruel?" Felicity's was low, barely loud enough for Bulma to hear.

"Well, before that I saw this guy with messy hair and he seemed really pure. He gave me this ominous warning." Bulma shrugged, messing with her hair.

"Oh, you mean Goku?" Felicity questioned, knowing exactly who her Earthling friend was speaking of.

"Who is Goku?" Bulma's face tilted with confusion.

Felicity giggled just a bit. "He's a good friend of mine. He's a Saiyan elite for the royal court, but he doesn't treat us servants like crap."

"Oh. Well, he called me a princess yesterday. It has been so long since anyone has called me princess." Bulma thought about the stranger's term of endearment and felt a small, but warm feeling inside her heart.

"You would be very surprised at the amount of servants who still consider you a princess, especially the older servants. You seemed to have left an impression on the older men and women, and a damn good one at that." Felicity elaborated, while her tail flickered around just a bit.

"I guess I just never seemed to be aware of it. I don't know a lot of the servants that well. Nevertheless, I need to find Goku right away. I need to speak with him about Guinevere. If he's a Saiyan elite, I'm sure that he will able to give me answers." Bulma told her, folding silk bed clothes.

"I don't think that's a very good idea. I mean, I just don't want you to get hurt is all. Guinevere...she's not like other tyrants in the universe...she's...she's completely demented." Felicity stammered, feeling fearful.

Bulma's eyes softened at the young Saiyan girl. "Felicity, I have to do this. I remember something that Tarble once told me when I was a little girl, when he first gave me his special treasure...,"

_Tarble kneeled before his precious stepdaughter. "It may seem rather strange without your real father and mother being here, Bulma, but I know that you will be destined for a better hand than you have been dealt. Remember this always, if you want the truth, darling, sometimes you must search hard for it. _

_"I knew your father before he passed onto Otherworld, and even when things were difficult, he always came out on top because of his determination and pure heart. Never lose the kind and pure heart that you have, Bulma, for everyone will be doomed if you do. You may be the one who saves Earth and Vegeta from the tyranny that the kingdom is becoming...,"_

"So you see I must do what my stepfather has asked of me, Felicity, even if it means I get executed protecting my people not only on Earth, but on Vegeta as well." With her last statement said, Bulma left the servants' quarters.

As Bulma took her stroll along the corridors, she was lost in deep thought. She felt for Felicity and the last thing she wanted to do was put her friend through any pain and suffering, but Bulma now felt that it was her duty to end the tyranny that has become of the once peaceful Kingdom she knew as a child. Before she could take a small breath, she ran into someone and almost lost all her balance.

"What where you're going you...oh, it's you. I'm glad I ran into you, Bulma. I need you to dry my nightgowns and sew my shifts." Chi-Chi blabbered on, before handing Bulma a basket full of her shifts.

Bulma gave her best effort to not roll her eyes. "Of course, Chi-Chi, I'll get it done for you right away."

As she focused her gaze on the courtyard, she noticed that there were Saiyan guards walking on the other side, escorting a man. He looked about Bulma's age, with a slightly tan complexion, dark hair that was spiky and stood up on its own, along with the same dark eyes like most Saiyans, but with a distinct scowl across his features. If Bulma hadn't known better, this particular Saiyan had to be the most gorgeous, breathtaking man she'd ever seen.

"I know what you're thinking, and yes, he's divine. That's Prince Vegeta, a very good friend of our stepfather. Do you think I'll be escorted by him?" Chi-Chi asked, cheerfully clapping her hands together.

_If he had any type of functioning brain cells in his head, then obviously he wouldn't, _"Oh, absolutely, Chi-Chi." Bulma lied, faking her sincerity, as she went on with her chores.

xxxx

Across the courtyard, the young Saiyan prince was observing and touring around the castle. He was only there to visit the grounds and refused to meet with Guinevere. Vegeta recalled the last time he paid the castle a visit when he was a small boy, with his father. His father and he used to be very great friends with Tarble before he regrettably left this world. All he could remember was associating him with the two, horrid daughters of the Queen.

While he was listening to his guards comment about the rest of the castle, the dark, bottomless eyes that belonged to Vegeta glanced over at what seemed to be an angel. Her lush, turquoise curls whipped around in the light breeze, against her glowing, porcelain skin. Her bright blue eyes had a luminous glow in the sunlight, but what was even brighter than her eyes were the pearly white teeth between her rosy pink lips.

"Is there something the matter, sir?" The guard closest to Vegeta asked, scoping out the area.

"Who is that magnificent creature?" The words escaped his mouth before he could think about it. The prince was never known to be a soft person, rather he was known as being blunt, arrogant, self centered, and an elite warrior. For some reason, the woman his eyes were locked on put him in a hypnotic trance.

"Your Highness, she's a servant. All she does is chores for the Queen and her daughters just like the rest of them." The guard replied, believing the information to be obvious.

_She seems so familiar. Something inside is telling me that I've met this woman before, but I can't remember exactly where I've encountered her. Surely I would remember a face like that, _Vegeta thought, setting the thought aside, "Hn. Let's just go. I don't want to run into those brats that belong to that sorry excuse of a ruler."

While continuing his walk, the young prince made a note to keep an eye on her.

* * *

><p>After finishing all her chores early, Bulma set out to find the Saiyan elite she just met. She spent a good portion of the afternoon looking for him, but still couldn't find him. Feeling the pain in her feet that she noticed were beet red, she retired back to her chambers. While passing the courtyard, she saw a mess of dark hair, sitting in a random spot on the grass.<p>

"Oh, good evening, your Highness." Goku greeted her, with a small bow.

Bulma smiled, appreciating the courteous gesture, while sitting next to him. "Thank you, but I really need to speak with you."

"Of course." Goku smiled as well, as she straightened out her dress.

"What do you know about my father's and Tarble's deaths?" Her voice sounded gentle, yet effective to his sensitive Saiyan ears.

Goku sighed. He had a feeling in his gut that this day was bound to come, and he was prepared. "Are you sure that you want to know the truth? Once I start, Princess, there's no going back."

"If I didn't want to know, Goku, then I wouldn't have interrupted your stargazing." Bulma said, impatiently.

"Well, it began long ago, your father had been in power for five years...," Goku started, taking the young princess down a terrible memory lane.

xxxx

**Nineteen years earlier...**

_The morning after the storm, Guinevere met her husband in the throne room. Even at that moment, a sixteen year old Goku noticed there was an odd ki coming off of her, as if she were evil or wicked. He kept to himself as a loyal elite to the King of Earth for the time being, until he was assigned to return to Vegeta. _

_"Good morning, my darling." Guinevere greeted, flipping her long, auburn hair over her shoulders._

_"It's always good to see you." Balthasar's mouth turned into a gentle smile to his wife. Goku carefully watched as the two rulers of the Earth embraced and shared a light kiss. He could have sworn during their hold on one another, a sinister smirk graced her lips. _

_"I know that Xavier is coming any moment now to discuss the will. I'm so happy that we can finally sit down and arrange this." Guinevere told him, linking her arm with his._

_The King gave her a look of confusion. "Darling, we planned on arranging this many weeks ago. Heaven forbid anything happens to either one of us. Our children need us to guide them."_

_"Oh, I know dear, but we need to be prepared for the unexpected. While we don't want anything to happen to the children, we need to make certain that their futures are secure and nothing bad befalls them either." Guinevere explained, taking her seat at the table in the nearby dining room._

_"Good, you both are here, your Highnesses." Their consultant, Xavier greeted, happily bowing. _

_"No need, Xavier, my friend." Balthasar smiled, politely waving off his manners._

_"Oh no, I'm just showing my respects. Moving onto our real business, you both wished to discuss the will?" He asked, making sure there was clarification. _

_Goku watched intently. He could tell the displeasing body language of the Queen when they went into their discussion. When the King would mention Bulma being included in part of the will, he noticed Guinevere's face turn up at the mention of the young princess, as if she were the plague. _

_"Darling, aren't you going to leave my daughters with anything? I mean, they are your children as well as Bulma." Guinevere mentioned, trying to not sound impatient._

_"Please understand. By the time your daughters are of age, Bulma will still be five years their junior. It wouldn't be fair to leave the majority of the fortune to two young women who are capable of being married to royalty and leaving your kingdom, but you'll have to still take care of what would be a thirteen year old Bulma." Xavier explained, trying to be patient himself._

I have never seen a woman like her. What's with the sudden change? Ever since this morning, she's been acting very odd. I knew she was evil, but this is on a different level. What would compel the King to marry someone like her? _Goku thought, standing idle and continuing his observations._

_"Fine. Anything you wish, it's all right with me." Guinevere said, sweetly, "If you'll excuse me, I will be meeting with a dear friend of mine within the hour."_

_Goku watched as the Queen of Earth walked past him and into the corridor. With her back turned from the King, Goku could spot her hateful scowl as she left them room. He knew she had a scheme in mind, but he prayed to Kami that he could figure out what it was before she striked again._

_xxx_

_After changing into her nightgown, the beautiful Queen decided now would be the time to strike. She despised the fact that some child like Bulma was in her way of achieving what she wanted. Guinevere couldn't understand it. She always thought of Bulma as an annoying, yet tolerable child, and now her irritation for the little girl was at a level that she would have never dreamed of. _

_**Forget that blasted pest! She only serves to get in the way of your goals, and that is to take over Earth...and soon you will have the universe. **__Some voice in her head was convincing her...and she was beginning to believe it._

_Bulma, she's my stepdaughter...I don't hate her. She bothers me, but I do not have any malice for her..._

_**What is that you truly want? I can sense it in your thoughts, you want to rule the universe...deep in your conscience, and this is what you want. Tell me this is what you want!**_

_"This...this...this...is what I want. I want to rule the universe." Guinevere found herself murmuring. She was losing all control of her mind, until she fell into its trap. Her mind blacked out for a short period of time, but her eyes opened shortly, to a new, powerful Queen who would come to have the entire universe in her hand. _

_"Guinevere? There you are, love." Balthasar said, taking her into his arms, "You look radiant."_

_"I'm glad you think so. Let's go to bed." She suggested, straddling his waist. _

_She took his bottom lip between her own. He let her slowly undress him, while letting his tongue invade her mouth, allowing her to erotically suck on his. He was now nude, and Guinevere could see that his arousal was noticeable. She continued to rub her lower half against his, making him groan._

_"Guin..evere...," He groaned, feeling the inevitable friction between them. Within the next moment, she slid herself onto him, beginning to thrust hard, grinding her hips steadily into his._

_"Yes...yes...ehhh...ehhh..ehhhhh!" She moaned, feeling herself constricting around him. The pressure building up in her was phenomenal. She could believe how far he was inside of her; the depth was astounding._

_All his eyes could see were her large breasts bouncing erotically as she continued to thrust. He felt himself drift into a lustful daze. She grabbed a hold of the sword that leaned against the top right post of their bed. She held the sword with both hands just above his chest._

_"Wha...wha...what are you doing with my sword?" He questioned, just before feeling the sharp blade impale his chest, just as she felt his seed release into her. _

_xxx_

_He felt ashamed. He felt ashamed that he wasn't quick enough to catch and kill her before she killed him. Goku felt truly useless. There they were, carrying the lifeless corpse of the king covered with a thick, black sheet. He could hear in the background, the other maidens and servants consoling the widowed Queen._

_"I...I...I can't believe my husband is gone. Who could do such a thing to such an innocent, kind hearted man?" He was disgusted by her act. Just the sounds of her sniffling and sobbing made him want to kill her in an instance._

How could you be such a vile wench to kill that same kind hearted, innocent man? _Goku bit his lip until he felt blood trickling down his chin. All he could was watch the late King and his former best friend being carried away to his burial. _

Saying that Bulma was shocked would be an understatement. She grew up under the impression that her father was assassinated by a commoner who was later accused of treason against Earth. To learn that her own stepmother is the one responsible for her father's death, it infuriated her and yet she wanted to burst into tears.

"I'm sorry, your Highness, but I wasn't going to have you spend the rest of your life under the wrong impression like so many other people on Earth have." Goku told her, sincerely.

"She killed him...just for the sheer sake of it? Just so she could rule over Earth's kingdom?" Bulma questioned, just now noticing the tears trailing down her cheeks.

"Unfortunately, princess, it goes deeper than just your real father. The Queen seeks power, and still does to this day, which leads me to discuss what happened to your stepfather, King Tarble." Goku continued, letting out a stressful sigh, as his disturbing tale continued...

**Fourteen years earlier...**

_By the time Goku was ordered to return to Planet Vegeta, King Tarble had already been married to Guinevere for three years. It was too late for the young Saiyan elite to tell the King that his newly beloved wife was the murderer of the late King of Earth. Tarble's fate was sealed once he kissed the she devil. His thoughts went to Princess Bulma, the only living flesh and blood left from Balthasar and Adelaine. He knew that Balthasar's dying wish was for him to watch over the young princess, unknown to Guinevere. _

_One particular night, Goku made his normal night patrols around the quarters of the royal family. He strolled pass the throne room, when he could hear the furious rage of the Queen. _

_"I ask you again, where is the secret treasure I know the King has?" Guinevere demanded, holding another of Tarble's right hand guards by his neck._

_"I...I don't know, your Excellency. King Tarble does not discuss the sacred Saiyan treasure with any of us...," The young guard told her, honestly. _

_That was when Goku had the displeasure of seeing the Queen for who she truly was: a monster. Her grip on the guard's neck tightened, as she opened her mouth and watched the soul being drained out of the man's body, causing his body to fade into a pale, lifeless corpse. She dropped him to the ground in front of her feet, like the dirt beneath her shoes. She smirked pleasantly to herself as if nothing happened._

_Goku quickly used his instant transmission to disappear to the courtyard. He had to notify the King that his suspicions were correct, and fast._

_xxx_

_"I had a feeling this time would come, I just didn't want it to be true. Guinevere...she...she seemed so pure when I first courted her, but now I regret it. I should have seen this coming. She's no different than any other woman I've courted in the past." Tarble explained, sighing to himself._

_"I wish there was another way. I'm sorry." Goku mumbled, looking down at the ground. His heart ached at the fact that he might witness yet another death of a King that did not deserve such punishment. _

_"Well, if I am to except my fate, then there are things I need to take care of. From you, Goku, just like the father of my daughter requested, please protect Bulma with your dear life. Protect her as if she were your own flesh and blood. I know that it is only a matter of time before Guinevere comes to consider killing Bulma as well, and I cannot stand to accept the fact that such a gentle soul should not be able to live. Now, if you'll excuse me, there's something I need to do before it's too late." Tarble finished, leaving his throne. _

_xxx_

_"Please don't leave me, Daddy...please don't leave like my other Daddy did." A young Bulma sniffled, feeling warm hands wipe the tears from her face._

_"Don't fret my darling daughter. I will always be here with you...right here." Tarble assured her, putting his hand over her chest, where her heart lied deep beneath the bone and tissue, "As it appears, I have something I want you to have."_

_He pulled out a gold medallion, which was in the shape of a dragon. He gently placed it the young girl's hand. "This is my greatest treasure, Bulma. You're a smart girl, and I want you to keep this away from your stepmother and stepsisters. I want you to hide this in a place that no one will know of but you. This will be the one thing that will always remind you of me. With that being said, goodbye, my darling daughter." He told her, kissing her forehead. He did not fear his death, for he was sure that he would see her again in the next life._

* * *

><p><em>My beloved stepfather. I cannot thank you enough for everything you did, even if it was for a short time, I owe you everything<em>, Bulma thought, sending her pure thoughts straight to him.

"So, ever since then, I've been watching over you for many years, but it wasn't until these last two that I barely recognized you. You see, I stay between Earth and Vegeta, so there are periods of time that I'm not always here, but it looks like according to your mother I'll be staying here for quite a while." Goku told her, nonchalantly.

"She's _not_ my mother. She's a blasphemous creature." Bulma whispered, venomously.

"I know that you're very upset, Bulma, but despite what I've told you, I do hope that the two of us can be friends, just like you are with Felicity." Goku replied, quietly.

Though she was full of rage and malice, Bulma managed to smile at him. She didn't remember much of him from her childhood, but if he was a friend of her real father and stepfather, then she knew she could trust him, without any doubts. "I'd love that, but if we're going to be friends, please, call me Bulma."

"Forgive me, but I've been trained to call you by your royal name. It would be really hard for me to call you something else." Goku admitted, shyly.

"Fine, if you simply must." Bulma told him, letting out another smile. She could tell that Goku had such a pure heart, just like her father before Tarble, "I have one favor to ask. Would you mind escorting me back to my quarters?"

"Absolutely, your highness. Take my hand." Goku offered, feeling her small fingers grasp his calloused hand. He put two fingers to his forehead and focused with all his might, until Bulma felt herself disappear and then reappear.

"Thank you, Goku, and I bid you a good night." Bulma muttered, as he turned his back to head down the corridor. Once she shut the door, she changed into her evening gown, knowing that there were things she had to do. For the people of Earth, Vegeta, and the universe.

**Another chapter done! I just wanted to say thank you again for the support and reviews guys! It means a lot to me and I hope you all will continue to read because the story is going to feature a lot of things you DBZ fans will love.**

**Stay Strong lovelies!**

**Cherriez**


	3. Going in Depth

**Okay, so I spent the last couple days watching Dragon Ball GT online and I'm up to the Baby saga...I swear the episode I'm currently up to is like a horror movie! Seriously, it's sooooo effing creepy, yet it's so infuriating how things are going down . Sometimes I wished I owned DBZ so that things would go differently! Anyway, I'm really happy with how many people are taking a liking to this! To be honest, I actually enjoy writing this fic a lot more than I thought I would (since I was scared that I wouldn't get many reviews), so I'm getting the best of both :D I really hope everyone does keep reading! **

_Going in Depth~The Mystery of the Medallion_

"Your Highness, you know that the time is coming. The King insists that you find a bride soon."

The sentence that Vegeta didn't want to hear was thrown out in the open. He absolutely hated the subject of marriage because he knew that within a certain period of time, if he didn't find a bride, he would forfeit the crown to the woman he considered trash, Guinevere. The thought of Guinevere ruling over his inherited position made him want to gag. Though the prince didn't want to go through the trouble of finding a bride, he rather waste his time on that than let a human take his throne.

_Wretched bitch. Gah! I can't stand the sight of her, _Vegeta thought, rolling his eyes, "Very well."

His mind drifted back to the thought of the turquoise haired woman. A true epitome of beauty his eyes gazed upon. He recognized her, but he couldn't remember her name. Whoever she may have been, Vegeta knew that she didn't remotely belong in the third class category.

_She didn't have a tail, so she must not be Saiyan. Plus, her power level is so low that I wouldn't pay her any mind if it weren't for her appearance. Who could she be? A woman with that much beauty is an anomaly amongst us Saiyans. She's definitely a unique one that much is for certain. _

He felt his feet landing on the castle grounds, as the guards approached to escort him inside. He knew that his father wanted to talk about this marriage and finding a bride thing that he'd been so insistent on since he turned twenty one. An entire year of 'Son, find a bride' and 'your days are limited to find a bride. Don't fail your people'. Hopefully, this would be the last lecture he heard on the matter, or he'd begin to consider training himself into oblivion.

"The King wishes to see you, sir." His father's attendant told him, giving a slight bow.

"Hn." Vegeta continued his walk to his father's throne, paying the man no mind at all. As the doors opened to his father's throne, the setting was so quiet that you could hear a pen drop. There his father sat, staring him right in his eyes and possibly right through him. "You wished to see me?"

"Yes. You recall the conversation we had when you turned twenty one, correct?" King Vegeta questioned, raising a brow.

"How could I forget?" Vegeta questioned, trying not to let his irritation be known.

"So you do recall that I gave you a year from then to find a bride...or else you would forfeit the throne as King?" The King's voice grew a little louder.

"Yes, to my dismay." He grumbled, quietly.

"So, I'm still under the assumption you've found one, right?" The King was persistent with his questions.

"No, I have not. None one I've had the pleasure of encountering is up to my standards. In other words, they're only good for release, and nothing more." The prince found himself confessing, listening to the blood boiling in his father's body.

The King pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to spare his son of his anger. "Vegeta, I've been more than forgiving, son. It's been four months since you've turned twenty two. I'll give you three more months to find a bride, and not a day more."

xxxx

"Ughhh, I'm so tired of this! You mean to tell me none of you are capable of finding anything related to the treasure?" Guinevere's shriek could be heard even beyond the palace walls.

Dante proceeded to step in. "We're working as hard as we can, your Highness. Things are going slow because Tarble seemed to have covered his tracks very carefully before you killed him."

_Tarble, you bastard. No matter, I will find it whether you like it or not. Nothing is going to stop me, _She thought, biting her lip. "Leave at once! I wish to be alone."

"As you wish." Dante gave another bow before he and his soldiers left the Queen's presence.

"Baba! Show yourself now!" She exclaimed, as the pudgy fortuneteller appeared.

"You requested me?" Baba questioned, plainly.

"Yes. I want you to tell me who is fairest of them all?" Guinevere demanded, with a deep scowl on her lips.

The fortuneteller sighed again. "It is like I've explained to your before, your Highness, you are the fairest in the land...,"

Guinevere smirked, feeling satisfied. "That's what I thought."

"Oh...wait a minute. It seems that there is one in the land who is fairer than you, and is destined to rise above you." Baba added, making the Queen's auburn hair whip around.

"What do you mean? Who is it?" Guinevere asked, glaring at her.

"Well, I can tell you that it's not either of your two daughters." The fortuneteller was blunt with her response.

"Is it Bulma? Don't make me laugh. She's nothing but forgotten trash...she can't possibly be the heir to _my_ throne." Guinevere hissed, spitefully.

"Well, with no disrespect, it was her throne before your murdered her father." Baba muttered, clutching her crystal ball.

_What does she mean this isn't my throne? I'm the Queen am I not? _Guinevere put the thought aside, "No matter. Can you tell me where the treasure is that Tarble left behind?"

"Whoever holds the medallion will live forever. That is all I know." With those being her last words, Baba disappeared, leaving pink smoke behind.

_Maybe her vision was a fluke. That little bitch could never surpass me. I could just kill her like I killed her father. As for the treasure, she said whoever holds the medallion will live forever...so Tarble left a medallion somewhere or with someone. Looks like I need a little more guidance. _She snapped herself out of her thoughts for a moment, "Dante! Find me someone who can look up information on the royal medallion."

xxxx

While doing her every day chores, Bulma's mind still couldn't shake off the fact that Guinevere killed both her fathers, but what bothered her even more was the fact that she had yet to come up with a plan to expose the wicked Queen. She took a moment to think about the medallion Tarble gave her. The same golden dragon she held onto for years. She still had yet to know why exactly she had to safeguard it.

_Maybe when I'm done today, I could ask Gretel if she knows anything else, _Bulma thought, running into Gretel along the way, "Oh, good morning, Gretel."

"And a good morning to you, Bulma." Gretel smiled, cheerfully, "I need you to do me a favor, Bulma."

"Of course." Bulma replied, happily.

"I need you to go into town and get some more fabric and thread for sewing." Gretel explained, handing her the Saiyan currency.

"Not a problem. I'll be back as soon as I can," Bulma agreed, hiding the currency in her apron, "Oh, would you terribly mind helping me with something tonight?"

"Sure, not a problem, dear. Meet me in my chamber tonight." Gretel responded, picking up the basket that contained wet sheets.

Bulma quickly walked down the corridor to her chamber to grab her raspberry scarf. She grabbed her basket before heading off of the palace grounds through a hidden tunnel that all the servants knew of. She gently shut the small door that was at the end of the tunnel and started walking into town. She always enjoyed going into the town market. It was nice to see all the different items that are for sale like fruit, vegetables, jewelry, anything she could imagine. While she began looking for the stand with the fabrics and thread, Bulma saw two little children running around chasing each other. When she was a teenager, she remembered how she always dreamed of meeting a nice man who also desired a family.

_Too bad I may never know what that's like, _Bulma thought, finally finding the fabric stand.

"Hi, how may I help you miss?" The older woman asked, cheerfully.

"Could have five yards of silk, some cotton, and satin please?" Bulma requested, handing her the money. As she waited patiently, she noticed that further down the road, men from Prince Vegeta's court were making their way down. She figured that they were most likely patrolling the area.

"Here you are ma'am. Have a wonderful day." The woman said, handing Bulma her basket back.

"Thank you." Bulma smiled, taking her leave. Before she could look up, she ran into someone and fell backwards on her bottom.

"Watch where you're going, wench."

Bulma looked up noticing that it was a guard from Vegeta's court. She felt her temper getting the best of her and immediately spoke up for herself. "I beg you to mind your manners, sir. No matter what class any woman is from, you should treat her with respect!"

"You dare talk back to me?" He growled, charging up a ki blast at her. Everyone around the scene began to cry of fear and shock.

Bulma shut her eyes tight, hopping that he wouldn't hurt her. Before she could open her eyes again, she felt a brisk breeze blow past her. She slowly opened her eyes to a pair of typical, dark Saiyan eyes. "Thank you for saving me, sir."

It wasn't until she looked at him that she noticed the prince of all Saiyans was holding her in a loose hold. Her face immediately began to grow warm, and Bulma knew that she was blushing.

"Watch where you're going next time. My guards don't take too kindly to commoners, especially those that aren't Saiyan." He told her, bluntly.

_How dare him! _She bit her lip, getting angry all over again, "I beg your pardon, your Highness, but I'm a lady, and I should not be handled by a man in such a manner."

Once she turned around, she noticed that he was already gone. _Ughhh, the nerve of that rude excuse of a prince. There's certainly nothing charming about him. _

Once the said prince was out of sight, Vegeta realized that he recognized that commoners eyes. They were so familiar and soft, but he still couldn't manage to put the pieces together.

_Who could she be? Where have I seen those eyes before? _He wondered, as he continued his stroll deeper into the Saiyan city.

* * *

><p>As the sun shifted during the afternoon, Bulma had just made her return to the palace. Once she found Gretel in the servant's quarters, she took down her scarf from her head.<p>

"Are you okay, darling? You look a little dirty." Gretel mentioned, gently.

Bulma rolled her eyes. "I had an unpleasant encounter with one of Prince Vegeta's guards. He had the audacity to call me a wench and try to attack me. Luckily, Prince Vegeta came in and saved me."

"_The_ Prince Vegeta?" Gretel raised a curious brow in disbelief.

"Yes, but he's not at all who he's cracked up to be. He's incredibly disrespectful and crass. He has absolutely no manners!" Bulma exclaimed, handing Gretel the basket full of fabrics.

Gretel giggled a little bit. "Sorry you had to deal with that dear. The young man is known to be that way and he's highly obsessed with himself and his title. Nevertheless, what he did for you today is very out of character for him."

"Anyway, I'm going to finish my chores. I'll meet with you after dinner." Bulma told her, before quickly leaving.

xxxx

Before retiring to bed, the wicked Queen gently ran a brush through her hair. The thought of the mysterious medallion that belonged to her late second husband. Someone who had a relationship with Tarble had to have it somewhere in their possession. What the woman couldn't manage to figure out was who he gave it to.

_If it were my two daughters, then they would have told me by now if they had it. It could be anyone in the court for all I know. I'll hold off on killing Bulma until I know of more information about the medallion. I doubt that Tarble would have given it to her, but I cannot be too sure. Watch yourself, my dear Bulma. Your days are limited. _She continued running the bristles through her auburn hair as she kept her last few thoughts in mind.

xxxx

Bulma changed into her nightgown before she took her stroll down to Gretel's room. She would finally know more information about the medallion. If anyone could save the universe from all out tyranny, she was destined for it. Tarble left her with a mission to help save the world, and Bulma wanted to make sure she carried out that plan. She knocked on Gretel's door once she approached it.

"Oh, darling come in. It's cold out here." Gretel said, shutting the door quickly behind Bulma, "Now, earlier you said that you wanted to ask about something?"

"Yes. Do you know anything about this medallion?" Bulma questioned, as she showed Gretel the dragon shaped medallion that she hid in her bosom.

Gretel stared solemnly at the medallion that was in Bulma's soft, porcelain hand. "Bulma, dear...I...I...don't know what to say. Did you get this from your father?"

"Yes. Tarble gave it to me before he passed onto Otherworld. I thought you would know something about it." Bulma mentioned, softly.

"Well, of course I know about this dear. It's the royal medallion of the Saiyan kingdom. I would tell you more information about it, but I would be in very deep trouble by the Queen. Not everyone is meant to know about it, and I just happened to be doing chores years ago when I heard about the medallion." Gretel explained, going to light another candle.

Bulma sighed before she began to plead with her confidant. "Gretel, please. I know that this is forbidden information, but you keep forgetting I was once a princess before I was diminished to being a servant. Though I love being with you, Felicity, and the other servants, I need to know about this medallion. Tarble left me to save the universe from Guinevere's clutches, and if I'm to do that...then I need you to tell me about this medallion."

Gretel finally gave into the young girl's pleading. "All right. Well, the medallion is a few centuries old. Of course it came from King Vegeta...,"

"I really hate to interrupt you, but our King Vegeta wouldn't be able to live that long, right?" Bulma asked, curiously.

Gretel let out a soft giggle. "Bulma, sweetheart, it's tradition for the king's to be named Vegeta. It's been that way since the kingdom has been established. Moving on, the Saiyan kingdom used to be one, but it split into two about one hundred years ago because the Saiyan population was growing rapidly at the time and they couldn't tame all the babies being born. This explains why your father, Tarble, wasn't named Vegeta when he was born.

"So by this time, there were two Saiyan kingdoms, but our kingdom was the one that happened to have possession of the medallion instead of King Vegeta. The rule was that the medallion would be passed down from the King to the heir of his throne. So by the time Tarble passed away, he passed the medallion onto you because he believed that you would be the right heir for his throne. This medallion that you have possession of holds the Saiyan kingdom's treasure. The treasure that is hidden are called dragon balls...," Gretel continued, before Bulma cut her off again.

Bulma raised a suspicious brow, completely confused by what Gretel said. "What are dragon balls?"

Gretel tried to not laugh at Bulma's child like curiosity. "They are magical balls that were created by King Vegeta of the early Establishment era. Essentially, if you gather all seven of them, you can summon the mystical Saiyan dragon to grant you any three wishes you desire, and there are dragon balls on Earth too. Though that seems pleasant, dear, it's not. If Guinevere were to ever find out about the dragon balls, then our entire universe is in grave danger."

Bulma looked out of Gretel's window at the stars. "That's why Tarble wanted me to keep the medallion away from her. It all makes sense now. I appreciate you helping me, Gretel. This may just help me a little better."

"It's no problem, Bulma. Now move along to bed, child. It's getting quite late." Gretel told her, as Bulma showed herself out.

While Bulma walked back to her chambers, she felt just a little more malice towards her stepmother. Things were now just a little more complicated than before. What would Guinevere wish for with the dragon balls? What would she use the dragon balls for since she owned the medallion?

_I have to do whatever it takes to keep the medallion away from her. Hopefully I can keep her at bay until I find a way to take her down. That may be easier said than done, _Bulma thought, tucking herself into bed.

* * *

><p>Bulma spent the last week pondering what Gretel told her that night. Since then, she couldn't manage to figure out a way to take down the tyrant she had the unfortunate pleasure of being related to. Her current path was back to the kingdom, after picking some more things for Gretel. About a few seconds later, Bulma could hear screeching and squeals of excitement from a large group of women gathered around another smaller group from King Vegeta's court. Bulma did her best to mutter 'excuse me' and 'pardon me' as she pushed through the crowd to see what was going on. When she got up there, she still could only manage to hear a few words.<p>

"I have come... from his royal Highness...Vegeta. He has welcomed you... ball that the entire planet may...son the prince may find a... No matter what class you are from, it shall take place thirty or so days from now." The man announced, taking his leave.

Once his words were said, all the women cheered with joy as Bulma quickly made her way out of the crowd. She could not put the pieces together. What was happening in thirty days? What did it have to do with Vegeta's court?

"Excuse me, ma'am, but you wouldn't have happened to hear what the gentleman said just now, would you?" Bulma asked, politely.

"Oh, he said that the King is throwing a ball so that the Prince may find a bride." The woman said, walking off to share the news with other maidens.

_Seriously? Prince Vegeta? Who would want to marry him anyway? He's crass, rude, arrogant, and he is the most gorgeous man I've ever seen in my life! Wait a minute where on Earth did that come from? _Bulma thought, clutching her fist. She instantly remembered what happened to her a few weeks ago, and was immediately turned off. She wasn't going to lie to herself, the ball did seem to catch her interest just a little bit, but it was only because she hadn't been to one since she was seven years old...and not because she wanted to be the prince's wife.

Bulma didn't even notice that she was already at the tunnel that led into the castle. She figured she got so wrapped up in her thoughts about the ball that she didn't notice anything. _Not a good habit to pick up, Bulma. _

As she took another mid length walk down the hall, she saw Felicity finishing the last load of clothing that needed to be clipped on the clothing line to dry. The young Saiyan girl's eye flickered at Bulma's as she quickly ran to her friend.

"Hi, Bulma. How was the trip into town? Did you hear that the King is throwing a ball for Prince Vegeta?" Felicity asked, excitedly.

"Yes, to my displeasure, I have." Bulma replied, plainly.

"What do you have against the prince?" Felicity wondered why her friend sounded so bitter towards someone she didn't even know.

Bulma sighed, not really wanting to repeat the story. "Well, I ran into his rude guards a few weeks ago, and one of them was about to kill me when Vegeta swooped in and saved me. The problem was that he was incredibly rude to me and told me that his guards don't like humans apparently."

"Well, that's just how the prince is...at least that's why I've heard from others...," Felicity mumbled, messing with her tail.

Bulma tried her best not to roll her eyes like she typically would. "Whatever. I'll see you later. I have to clean my dear sister's room."

"Haha, have fun with that." Felicity giggled, running off again.

Once Bulma took the extra long walk to Launch's room, she let herself in, hearing Launch, Chi-Chi, and their other horrid friend talking and enjoying tea. Bulma ignored them and began to pick up Launch's mess. While she began to pick up torn shifts and petticoats, Bulma noticed the sharp butter knife on the table where the tea was and imagined stabbing Launch or Chi-Chi.

_No sense of getting violent thoughts, since it wouldn't do me any good in the first place, _Bulma thought, putting the torn and dirty clothing in the basket set by Launch's vanity.

"I am quite excited for the ball. One of the older servants is working on my dress and I'm hoping that my good looks and charm will attract Vegeta." Launch let out a disgusting giggle that only made Bulma cringe.

_Yeah, he'd rather kill himself than to even be seen with you, _Bulma thought, trying not to laugh at her inner thoughts.

"Well, no need to fret sister. We have a month until the dresses should be ready. They are sure to be divine." Chi-Chi added, setting her cup of tea down.

Once she was done tidying up, Bulma quickly went back to her room. She was surprised that her ears hadn't bled from the sound of their voices. On top of it all, she wasn't looking forward to helping Gretel sew their dresses by any means.

_It's a waste of fabric and time. They are far too awful to have a man court them. Heaven forbid any man who would find them attractive. _As Bulma plopped herself on her bed, she looked outside her window at two, pure white doves and eight light brown mice, nibbling at the bits of corn and bread left on the ground. As she continued to look at them, the two doves flew up to the edge of Bulma's window looking up at her with their huge eyes.

"Why aren't you two beautiful?" Bulma cooed, gently running her index finger along the back of one of them. She could feel them both snuggle further into her hand, rubbing their soft, light feathers against her finger. In the far distance, she could hear something approaching the road outside her window, causing the mice to scurry away and the two doves flying away. With nothing else to do, Bulma felt herself drifting to sleep.

xxxx

As the day drew closer to its close, Gretel sat in her chambers sewing a pink, silk dress. She knew the same light pink fabric between her fingers would look well on Bulma to wear to the ball. Despite what she knew Bulma tried to convey, Gretel knew that Bulma wanted to go to the ball. Ever since Bulma was seven years old, Gretel noticed Bulma's constant sadness and longing to be back where she belonged. Though she knew Bulma held love for all the servants, Gretel wanted their rightful princess to hold her position like she used to before Guinevere showed up.

_The darling girl hasn't had a special moment for so long. This may cheer her up. _She smiled while she continued to sew. At the same time, eight little mice managed to show up in her room and gather at her feet. Once she noticed them there, her smile grew wider. "Don't fret, darlings, soon you will be free, but the time isn't right."

There was a loud knock on the door, causing Gretel to quickly hide the dress underneath the clean clothes in her basket. The mice quickly hid underneath Gretel's bed. "Come in."

"Hello. I just came in for a little rest. What are you doing?" Bulma walked in, sitting on the bed with her dear friend.

"Oh, just getting started on your sister's dress. Direct orders from the Queen." Gretel told her, plainly.

Bulma scoffed a little bit. "Predictable. It's just a waste of time on two women who will never marry. There are men in the world who have enough sense not spend the rest of their life with hags."

"Calm down, my dear. I know of your distaste for your stepsisters, but there's no use getting yourself riled up like that." Gretel gently patted her hand, before getting back to sewing.

The young girl let out a long sigh. "I'm sorry about that."

"It's quite all right. You need to rest, darling, you look really worn out." Gretel suggested, carefully setting the fabric on her lap.

"But Gretel, I still have chores to do...," Bulma argued, feeling her muscles relax into the bed.

"I will have someone else attend to them. In the mean time, you're going to rest." Gretel demanded, placing the blanket over Bulma. Once she could sense that Bulma indeed fell asleep, Gretel went back to working diligently on the dress that she knew would go to good use.

* * *

><p><strong>Alrightyy, so that's another chapter done. I was going to go further and actually get to the ball scene, but it wouldn't work to have it in this chapter...soooo, yeah. Anywho, I promise that the other chapter will be up as soon as I'm able to post it. Until then, enjoy reading and reviewing!<strong>

**Cherriez**


	4. A Lovely Evening with A Prince

**Soooo, it's been a while. I'm really sorry about that, I've been trying to find a job lately and my search hasn't been going too well :'( Anywho, you don't really need to hear about my personal problems, but I just wanted to thank everyone for reviewing and showing some love (which is always welcomed). It really means a lot to me :)**

_A Lovely Evening with a Prince_

* * *

><p><em>Today was the day he turned eight years old. The young Saiyan prince wasn't too interested in parties, since it was just another excuse for his father to talk with more royalty from the subdivisions of the planet. Everywhere looked he was surrounded by people of the same class, mingling about the most useless things and taking advantage of the time to gloat. All he found himself doing was eating from the buffet table and wishing he could go to sleep. While his father was distracted, he managed to sneak out of the ball room and into the main hall. He could see other children running around, playing games and blabbering away. While he took a stroll, the sound of soft cries and sobs could be heard. <em>

_"You're a disgrace. My parents tell me that humans are weaklings who only serve to get in the way of Saiyans." He heard the voice of another boy, as he came into view of what was happening. In the corner was a girl with vibrant turquoise hair, skin as white as porcelain, and a light pink dress. He couldn't explain why but the sight of seeing an innocent person being picked on for no reason boiled the blood that ran through his veins. _

_"I suggest you weaklings leave her be, before I blast you into oblivion!" He ordered, watching the two boys running off. He could finally see her face as she wiped the tears from her bright blue eyes. "Are you alright?"_

_She curled up further into the corner, obviously scared that he'd hurt her. "You don't need to be afraid. I'm not going to hurt you."_

_"I'm...a little better. Why aren't you making fun of me too? Aren't you a Saiyan?" She asked, sniffling a little bit._

_"Though you may be a human and your race is a disgrace to some Saiyan customs, you are still a lady who shouldn't put up with being treated that way." He admitted, helping her up._

_She let a small smile etch itself into her rosy lips. "Thank you very much." _

_He gave her a curt nod. "What is your name?"_

_"Bulma...I'm Princess Bulma. I'm here with my stepmother and sisters." She told him, smiling..._

His eyes snapped open in sync with his body sitting up. The same sweet smile flashed in his mind briefly. He finally remembered that the woman was Bulma. The same little girl he'd fallen in love with, even at the tender age of eight. The Saiyan prince couldn't get her out of his head for fourteen years and now he finally found her identity. She was definitely different now. She grew into a woman, an attractive woman at that. She had a bite to her tongue like a true Saiyan, from what he could gather from their brief encounters with each other. Something that did bother him, however, was the fact that she was a servant. How in the world had someone of royalty and upper class been reduced to doing chores and servant work?

_Something isn't adding up. I'm certain that disgraceful whore we have to share a kingdom with is behind this. Balthasar and Tarble would never accept the state she is in right now, _He thought, throwing his silk sheets off of his body. He decided to investigate. The bitch had an ulterior motive for marrying Tarble, no doubt about it. It wasn't just a coincidence that he died shortly after they were married, just like Balthasar. As he continued his stroll down the hall from his chamber, he thought of reasons and possibilities for Guinevere's rule. It was obvious she got one of the things she desired; full domination over Earth. There was one other thing he knew that she wanted, but had a hard time getting.

The treasure. Vegeta and his father were aware of the hidden treasure that Tarble inherited and kept hidden for years. Whomever he may have passed the treasure down to remains a mystery to everyone, except for him.

_Bulma. She's the only who could possibly have the medallion. Tarble never trusted Guinevere or her miserable brats to have it. That conniving bitch wants the dragon balls. _The latter made Vegeta growl.

"Sir, we have been sent by your father to assist you in getting ready."

His gaze turned to a group of small servants. He looked outside to see that sun was in its position that meant the evening was upon the planet. He almost completely forgot that the idiotic gathering was being thrown later on. He dreaded the situation all together. It was just another ploy for his father to marry him off to some random whore just to have an heir to the throne.

"Hn. Do what you must then." He grumbled, as they followed him to the master washroom. This was going to be a long evening. One that Vegeta wasn't planning on enjoying.

xxxx

"I wish to attend the ball, stepmother."

Guinevere's fierce eyes narrowed at her request. Bulma. Going to the ball? That was to take place later on after the sun set? She had to be joking...right? _No one would give her the blink of an eye_. "If you manage to finish your chores for the day and find suitable attire, then I suppose I don't see the problem."

Bulma's face lit up like the sun outside. "Thank you ever so much! I promise that I will finish all the chores I have!"

After leaving the throne room with her excitement intact, Bulma danced her way down the hall. Distracted by her happiness, she didn't notice two familiar women plotting to destroy whatever happiness she had left.

"She's got to be stupid if she thinks she's going to attend this ball. It's for royalty, not rats." Launch hissed, quietly.

"I think I've got an idea, sister. Let's go plot a little." Chi-Chi motioned for her blonde sister to follow as they disappeared into the distance.

At the same time, Bulma began to wash clothes while her thoughts lingered on the thought of the ball. She felt that the ball presented a pleasant opportunity for people to see that she was truly a princess and that she wasn't just a common servant. Being pursued by a kind gentleman came to mind as well. She always dreamed of being with a man in her future, but she had yet to find the perfect one.

"Why are you so cheerful?" She heard Felicity's voice ask. It was full of its normal optimism, but there was a hint of curiosity mixed in.

Bulma smiled at the youthful Saiyan. "Guinevere, she's letting me go to the ball this evening. I'm quite excited to go, I don't remember the last time I've been to a ball...it was when I was just a little girl."

The turquoise haired beauty didn't notice her friend's face turn from its positive demeanor to one of utter sadness and malice. "Bulma, I really hate to be the bearer of bad news...but the Queen...she forbids that servants attend any special events like the ball. I thought that someone would have told you...,"

"What are you talking about? I asked Guinevere just ten minutes ago, and she said as long as I can finish my chores by this evening and find a dress that I may feel free to attend, and I really want to go." Bulma explained, not understanding what would possess her friend to say such things.

"I really don't think this is a good idea, Bulma...but if you really insist on going, then I'm not going to stop you. Just be careful...I don't want you to get hurt because of the Queen." Felicity walked away, with those being her last words.

Bulma immediately felt a little guilty. She hadn't meant to sound so on edge with what she said, but she never enjoyed it when people tried to change her mind. She didn't know why it was that Felicity was so worried about her attending the ball. It seemed harmless.

_Maybe she's just worry a little too much. _Bulma continued cleaning the dirty clothing that lied in her hands. The sooner things got done, the better.

xxxx

"Any news on the treasure?" Guinevere asked, running her fingers through her hair.

The leading researcher looked skeptical, but answered anyway. "We're working as hard as we can your majesty. It seems as though the majority of the books in library regarding the medallion and the treasure are missing. We have recovered a few, but they do not tell us the information that you seek."

She pinched hard on the bridge of her delicate nose. "You mean to tell me that none of you are capable of finding these missing books?"

"Your Highness, anyone in the castle could have these books. There are no limitations to who may enter the library, as the late King always allowed-"

"Well, the _King_ is no more! I am the new ruler of this sector of the kingdom, and I want those books found immediately! If you have to look through _every_ nook and cranny of this castle, then do so!" She shouted, as the researchers took their leave.

She sat back down in her throne, letting out a low growl. Who else in would want to know about something that only Saiyan royalty knew? It angered her that she couldn't manage to find something that she'd adamantly continued to search for in the last several years. She recalled seeking aid from the King and Prince Vegeta, but her efforts were shot down since neither the King nor Prince would tell her anything.

_I despise having to share a kingdom with that fool and his meddling, bratty son. How dare he not court my daughters and have the nerve to bestow the title of whores upon them, _She thought, rolling her eyes, _No matter. It will only be a matter of time before I figure things out and when I do, anyone who defies me will be punished severely. Their death will be inevitable._

* * *

><p>Her moment of truth was approaching. The periwinkle silk felt like heaven against her porcelain skin. Light powder graced her face, but her natural rosy blush seeped through. Her silver necklace was cool against her collarbones and chest. She finally felt like her dream of going back to her life before may actually happen, even if for one night. All she could see in her vanity was a true princess. One with a kind heart and gentle soul.<p>

_I can't believe this is really happening. I'm going back to where I truly belong. _She couldn't help but smile, as she quietly left her chamber. While wearing the dress, she was reminded of her mother. She remembered saving the dress since she knew it was her mother's favorite, and her father always told her how much he loved when she wore it. Bulma always wondered what her mother looked like. Were they just alike physically or mentally? What were her interests? Only Otherworld would know.

"My, my, my...look at you. From rags to riches...well, at least as rich as you're going to get." Bulma looked up and noticed Launch and Chi-Chi in front of her. They were both wearing dresses as well, except with different hairstyles.

"I bet being all dressed up like that, you feel like...a princess perhaps? You know, before we came into the picture and ripped whatever dignity and title you had left." Chi-Chi added, letting up a smirk.

Bulma's eyes narrowed. "Look, you can ridicule me all you want, but you know deep down inside that I'm still a princess, and you were always jealous that no one would pay you any mind. Well, I hate to be rude, but no one will ever pay whores any mind, since all you're good for is spreading your legs."

Just as Bulma was about to brush past them, Chi-Chi grabbed the strap of her dress and yanked hard, ripping the ever so fine material. "Oops, I guess my nail must have snagged on your strap. I guess trash isn't welcomed at a ball."

"What is your problem? You ruined my dress!" Bulma shouted, looking at the hanging strap.

"I agree, sister, it would look right if Bulma arrived with a mangled dress." Launch responded, ripping the bottom part of Bulma's dress, "Oh, well that won't do...if you arrive with such a torn dress, people will think you're a harlot."

All Bulma could hear in the next few minutes were the two of them laughing at her. She couldn't help but look down at her dress. Her mother's dress...that she had held so much value for now ruined within a few minutes. A few tears began to fall from her eyes as she heard the carriages begin to leave the palace. Why were they so cruel? Why couldn't they let her have this one day? One day to feel special...one day to feel beautiful...and one day to finally feel what was taken from her for fourteen years of her life.

_Felicity was right. I should have never even bothered with my time. It would have been better if I stayed with Gretel than to have my heart wounded once again...but I always try to see the brighter side of things instead..., _She thought, taking a quiet stroll to the garden. She found that the same tree she always sat under looked even more beautiful under the half moon. She slid down the bark until her bottom touched the grass, while she hugged her knees to her chest and sobbed. She wondered why she was living such a terrible life...especially when hadn't done anything wrong.

"Child...what are you still doing here? Why aren't you at the ball with the others?"

Bulma quickly looked up and noticed Gretel approaching her underneath the tree. Though she felt somewhat better, her eyes looked down at the ground. "Guinevere...I was hoodwinked by her yet again. She had no intentions of letting me go with them."

The older woman looked at the ripped and tattered garment on Bulma's body before she spoke again. "It's going to take at least a good few hours to fix my dress, and by then the ball will be over."

Gretel just smiled, and kneeled down by her young friend. "Maybe I can help you, dear. I refuse to let you miss out on such a wonderful opportunity."

Bulma's face turned up in confusion. She felt that it was quite odd that Gretel would be out this late and that she knew that Bulma would be out in the garden. "What do you mean?"

"It's about time I told you the entire truth about me, Bulma. I haven't been completely honest with you." Gretel took in a deep breath, as bright white dust began to surround her. It wasn't long before there was an abundance completely covering her. Bulma's eyes began to squint with the sparks of light nearly blinding her vision. Once the light died down to a medium, Bulma opened her eyes to see a platinum blonde woman, with a periwinkle, strapless gown that lied perfectly on her hourglass figure. Her eyes were nearly white with how icy of a blue they were underneath her long, thick lashes. Her skin was pale, but luminous. Her lips were a light pink with a bit of gloss to them.

"Wha...wha...wha..What happened? Gretel, where are you?" Bulma looked around for her dear friend, completely thrown off by the beautiful woman in front of her.

She just let out a soft giggle. "Bulma, darling, my name is Puar. I've been sent from Otherworld to protect you and give you proper guidance. Think of me as your godmother of sorts. I have the ability to take on different life forms and personas, in your case, I am Gretel, but the way I am now is my original form."

"Oh dear, I...I can't believe I have a godmother. I knew there was something pure about you. I just wish I would have known sooner." Bulma muttered, awkwardly.

Puar gently touched Bulma's rosy cheek. "Thank you, darling. I'm quite flattered, but never mind that. We have to get you to that ball."

"There's absolutely no way. By the time I manage to fix my garments, the occasion will already be over." Bulma told her, feeling depressed all over again.

The Goddess smiled to herself. "I beg to differ, my dear."

With the snap of her fingers, light pink dust began to surround Bulma. For a brief moment, the young girl could feel her torn garments dissolving leaving her bare underneath the dust. As the dust settled down, Bulma looked down at the new garment that now graced her body. The pale pink, chiffon silk gown felt like heaven against her skin. It had a sweetheart neckline, empire waistline, and the silk stretched to the tips of her toes. Her hair was in loose curls halfway down her back and chest. She wore very minimal makeup on her flawless face.

"This is the same dress that I began sewing as Gretel. I always thought you looked good in pink since you were a baby." Puar mentioned, watching Bulma take everything in.

Bulma looked at her reflection in the small pond on the other side of the garden. She stared at her reflection in complete awe. "I can't believe how beautiful I look. I don't know how to thank you...for everything...,"

Puar let up another smile. "There's no need, darling. Oh, I almost forgot something!"

Just as Bulma looked up, she noticed her godmother placing silver, multi strand headpiece onto her head. There were three strands hanging from the sides along with other strands on the top of her head that were made of pearls and silver beads all intertwining and connecting. For a moment, Bulma felt thrilled that such extravagant garments were bestowed upon her, but one question stayed in her mind.

"Wait, Puar, how on Earth am I going to get there? The carriages are gone." Bulma remembered the other obstacle in their plans.

"Well, Goku isn't the only one who knows instant transmission." She responded, snapping her fingers to transport them to King Vegeta's palace.

Once they were there, Bulma looked around the palace. The King's stood larger and a bit taller than where she was located. The white structure looked like something out of a story. In the moonlight, the castle was a sparkling white with gold trimmings on certain parts. She could see a balcony that led to someone's room, which she assumed to be either the King's or the Prince's. She could see in the front courtyard all of the stationed carriages and guards surrounding the perimeter.

"This is where we part, my dear. I wish you the best of luck, along with the hopes that someone special will come your way tonight. I must warn you though; you will be transported back to the palace. So do not be alarmed if you feel as if you're disappearing." Puar explained, leaving some positive thoughts for Bulma.

Bulma gave a slight bow. "Thank you ever so much, Puar."

"I'm always happy to help. I bid you good bye, for now." She said, slowly turning to dust.

Bulma took a deep breath before turning her sites to the palace entrance. She walked through the gates and noticed there were even more guards on the inside with their Saiyan armor. After stepping slowly up the row of stairs, she ended up in the palace hall. The scenery was absolutely gorgeous. Everything was lavishly decorated, with everything set in its perfect place. Just like outside, the hall was a pristine white with sparkly gold trimmings with champagne colored crystal chandeliers. Once her eyes were done exploring the scene, she noticed that a lot of Saiyan men were staring at her, falling for her natural allure and grace.

_Hehehe, just like last time,_ She thought, walking further into the crowd of Saiyans.

xxxx

As the celebration continued on, both the King and his son sat on their respective thrones, watching over the other Saiyans that gathered tonight. Vegeta sat in his throne, rolling his eyes at how his father got him wrapped up in such a situation that was a complete waste of his time. He knew that his father had been pushing him to find a wife to mate with for the simple fact that the position of King would be passed down to him. The last thing that they wanted was for Guinevere to take the throne and insult the Saiyan race even more than she already has for the last ten plus years.

"Have you found anyone yet, son? There are plenty of women here to find a suitable mate for you."

Vegeta pinched the bridge of his nose. "No, father I have not. This is a complete waste of time."

"Well, it shouldn't be too hard for you to find one." The King responded, leaving his son's side to mingle amongst other royalty.

_How I wish I could gouge my eyes out! None of these women are decent enough for my taste! _He rubbed the temples on his head. Sure all of the women that were there looked good, but who the hell cared about looks? The prince wanted a woman who could fight alongside him in battle, should the need arise of course. She would need to be tactful, astute, and could provide a challenge for him, mentally and physically. The latter was pushing it, but he didn't doubt the possibility of it happening. Physical attributes only served as the icing on the cake.

_Not that I would want to mate with a hideous woman anyway. _Just as he was about to find a way to leave, his eyes found her and his mind immediately stopped. The one that was constantly on his mind and captivated him when he was just a child. The color of her gown did well in bringing out the luminosity of her porcelain skin. Her beauty truly shined through and was very much appreciated in his dark eyes.

"Isn't that the servant we saw a while ago?" One of the guards questioned, looking at her along with all the other mesmerized Saiyan males.

The Prince of all Saiyans ignored them, the time and place forgotten as he stepped in her direction. If anyone were to say another word, he would hear nothing of it. Nothing stood in his way once he was in a few feet's range of her.

Just as she looked up, her blue eyes found his approaching her. Though she was a princess, Bulma felt like a princess who had not a clue what to do. Granted, she'd been close to the prince other times, she still felt a tad nervous. What was she to say to him? Would she embarrass herself in front of him? The closer he got, the more anxious she became.

_Oh Kami, he's gorgeous, _She thought, letting her eyes flicker around.

"If you don't mind me asking, may I have your hand?" His deep baritone voice was full of wonder, as he stuck his gloved hand out to her.

She gently put her hand into his large, masculine one. "Of course."

Her ears listened to the concerto full of violin and other Saiyan instruments, as she began dancing with Vegeta. It was slow and slightly intimate. She felt very comfortable in the prince's embrace and felt highly attracted to him suddenly. He had been rude to her before, but all of it was forgotten. There was something about the prince's dark, mysterious demeanor that enticed her and made her want to figure him out.

His hand that was on the small of her back slid down a little further, as his breath was felt on her earlobe. "So, are you going to tell me who you are? You've piqued my curiosity."

He nearly made her shudder, while she felt the lust coming from his words. "You'll have to say please if you want a confession."

Vegeta smirked at her response. "Hn. You have quite the sharp tongue. I've never encountered a woman, much less a human woman, with such a quality."

"Maybe you need to branch out of the confinement you have yourself under, Prince Vegeta. Surround yourself with the unfamiliar." Bulma responded, readjusting herself in his embrace.

"Is it unfamiliar to be attending a ball instead of cleaning, Princess?" Vegeta questioned, pulling back to get a look at her.

Bulma was taken aback by his question. She was completely thrown off her square. "How do you know I'm a princess? Never mind, it doesn't matter. I'm not one anymore."

He let out a snort. "Just because an intolerable excuse of a ruler has diminished you to wearing rags and doing peasant work does not mean she can strip you of your birth right. If anyone should be sitting in that throne, it should be you."

All she could do is smile at him. "No one's ever said such kind words to me."

He smirked. "Hn. For all you know, I could be just lowering your guard so that I can bed you. I don't just let any woman into my chambers."

With that being said, she felt incredibly floored. It was complete turn off from what she had assumed of him. She roughly shoved him off her, as her mouth almost hit the floor. "You're disgusting! I cannot believe I actually fell for your false charm!"

For a moment, Vegeta was stunned. No woman ever _dared_ to hit him or put his hands on him. The young prince could feel himself growing hard and tight below. He was immediately aroused by her actions before she stormed off.

_I'll be surprised if I manage to NOT bed...or better yet, mate her before the night is over, _He thought, immediately following her. Two other women noticed that he was running off somewhere, which didn't make them feel better about their evening.

"I cannot believe that the Prince would waste his time on someone like Bulma! How in blazes did she get here anyway? We ripped up her dress!" Chi-Chi exclaimed, balling her fists.

"I don't know, sister, but somehow she managed to get another one. Damn that little whore!" Launch grumbled, just as angry as she was earlier.

* * *

><p>Just outside the palace hall, Bulma sat around the edge of the fountain in the dainty garden. She played around lightly with the rare species of Saiyan lilies that were floating around in the water. Bulma was absolutely appalled by how crass and fowl he sounded. It really hurt her to know that he may very well be like any other guy that she's ever observed. All he wants is sex, and nothing more.<p>

"This fountain has a history. It's where my father promised to mate with my mother and it's also where she used to take me around when I was an infant."

She heard his touching sentiment, but ignored him. He smirked at the fact that she said nothing back. "It's not too often that I feel the need to apologize for my actions, but with you...it seems rather odd."

"Maybe it's because no one has bothered to confront you about your vulgarity because of the fact that you're a prince." Bulma managed to blurt that out, not really paying attention to what she said until it was out in the open.

He nearly laughed at her comment. "That may very well be a possibility. Nevertheless, I thought I should make you aware of the fact that I know what's going on."

She scoffed a little bit. "And what would that be?"

"You don't remember me at all do you?" Vegeta raised a brow, while crossing his arms.

"What are you talking about? I know that you're the prince, but I...," She stopped, looking him closely in the face. There was something familiar about him, but she could never put her finger on it, until now. "You're...you're the boy that stood up to those kids that were teasing me when I was seven."

He rolled his eyes so far up his head he didn't think they would come down. "It's about time you caught on, Woman. As I was saying, I know about Guinevere. How she killed your father and Tarble, Tarble left you the medallion, and by extension she wants the dragon balls."

"Yes, that's correct to my displeasure. I have not a clue as to what to do about it either." Bulma mumbled, looking back into the fountain water.

"I would have done something about it, but my father and I can't manage to do anything without things leading to a civil war. It may just come to that anyway." He added, shrugging.

Bulma hadn't even realized that he was right next to her until she looked up. His face was just millimeters away from hers. What she didn't know was that the young prince was fighting an inner battle within himself. He could feel his Saiyan instincts flaring from being physically close to her. What she could see was that his eyes were lingering on her lips, until his were pressed upon hers. She couldn't help but succumb to her desire and his. Her tongue engaged in a battle that she was happy to lose, while she wrapped her arms around his thick neck.

She heard the clock strike midnight, as the bell bang to chime. Bulma instantly remembered Puar's warning of disappearing. She hadn't felt so disappointed until now. The feeling of his lips she wanted to last forever and just wanted to be with him, while no one else in the world mattered. Her lips quickly pecked his as she began to turn into pink dust the gently faded away into the night sky.

* * *

><p><strong>Awwww, I actually loved the moment where they share a kiss! Gaaahhh! . Anywho, I have to be honest, I loved drafting this chapter and chapter five as well because there's so much going on that leads up to even more things going on! Well, there's another chapter done so I hope you guys liked this and I can't wait to hear from you guys!<strong>

**Keep it Real!**

**Cherriez**


	5. Bulma On The Run

**Soooo, I'm back again! I'm nearly done with updating all my other stories, so now I can focus my attention back on this! Yay! Anyway, I'm so happy spring time is coming into fruition! Even though April is filled with rain, I love to see the flowers and trees bloom :D **

**Oh, I don't remember if I gave the links for Bulma's ball attire...if I haven't here they are:**

**1. Bulma's dress: www (dot) 2011-weddingdresses (dot) com/images/promdresses1/PDBFML11 (dot) jpg - please don't literally spell the word dot. I got confused when some ppl on spelled it out too, but it's b/c the website doesn't allow links I guess...**

**2. To find Bulma's headband or headpiece, go on YouTube and type in 'Michelle Phan Enchanted Christmas'. I love the headband that she has on because it's so elegant. **

_Bulma on the Run~The Warriors Assemble_

* * *

><p>"So you're telling me that <em>she's<em> had the medallion this entire time?"

Over the last three weeks, the Queen's right hand completed his heavy investigation. Though he overheard Bulma's discussion with the prince about having the medallion, he wanted to confirm it before getting her hopes high and then ending up dead for his incompetence. After endless hours of following her every movement, Dante confirmed his suspicions to be true.

"I knew it! I should have killed her when she was a child! I knew Tarble left it to her as soon as my daughter's gave an indication that they had no clue what I spoke of!" The wicked Queen was roaring with absolute rage. Someone as futile and weak as Bulma was holding the key to her domination of the universe, but the idea sounded incredibly absurd at the time. "If I don't have that medallion, my quest will be in vain. How did you come to find out this information?"

"She was conversing with the prince about it, and he in turn knows about your motives, your Highness." Dante told her. His voice seemed a bit shaky.

Instead of being furious, Guinevere could only smirk to herself. "I never cared for Prince Vegeta and his despicable father. They've managed to interfere and I cannot allow that. However, we'll deal with them later...for now, I can focus my attention on killing Bulma. I will kill her when she least expects it."

Little did the tyrant know that someone very close to Bulma heard the entire conversation. Felicity's feet led her in the opposite direction, away from the Queen's throne room and all the way back to the servant's quarters. She looked around for her elderly friend, seeking her presence to deliver the terrible news.

"Has anyone seen Gretel?" She asked, looking around, her Saiyan tail flicking ferociously.

"I'm right here, darling. What is the matter?" Gretel looked concerned as soon as she saw the look on the young Saiyan's face.

"It's about Bulma...the Queen found out that Tarble left Bulma the medallion. She wants to kill her as soon as possible." Felicity told her, quietly.

Gretel couldn't believe her ears. "Dear Kami, you must find her immediately and send her to my room. Go child, quickly now!"

Without hesitation, Felicity ran off to find her aqua-haired friend. She looked around the normal places that Bulma ventured to during the day, finding her in the garden moments later. "Bulma! Bulma come quick!"

"Oh, hello-" Bulma started, closing her book.

"There's no time for greetings, we must be going now!" Felicity exclaimed, dragging Bulma with her to Gretel's room.

Bulma felt confused and scared all wrapped in one. "What is going? Why are you acting so strangely?"

"Gretel will explain everything." Felicity told her, in a hushed tone. She quickly knocked on the elderly woman's door, feeling anxious by the second.

Gretel soon appeared, opening the door and looking around quickly. "Come in, come in quickly now!"

Bulma could hear her locking the door behind her as she sat on the edge of Gretel's bed. She couldn't seem to figure out what was the huge problem. "What in Kami is going on? You are both starting to scare me."

"Bulma dear, you need to leave the palace tonight. The Queen knows that you have possession of the medallion and wants you dead. It is no longer safe for you here." Gretel admitted, her heartbreaking at the sight of her tears.

Bulma's vision blurred, as she took in the heart-stopping news. "Wha...what have I done to deserve this? I have done nothing but serve this horrid woman for most of my life and this is what becomes of it?"

"Oh, darling you have not done anything! However, if we do not get you out of the castle tonight, then Tarble and Balthasar have died in vain." Gretel gently took Bulma's hands and dashed down the hallway as quickly as her feet would allow her.

After a couple of sharp turns, Bulma noticed Gretel opening an underground door just outside of the courtyard that was hidden near a rose bush. They quickly went down the stone stairs until they hit the solid ground. Gretel quietly instructed Felicity to shut and lock the passage door behind them.

"Where are we?" Bulma asked, looking around at the stone walls and passages. All of them were lit with candles and lanterns.

"This is a hidden passage that I found a long time ago. This will lead you off the castle grounds without being detected by the guards. Come now, who knows if the guards are looking for you as we speak." Gretel whispered, taking the first passage all the way down.

As they were walking with moderate speed, Bulma thought about everything that was going on around her. Who tipped off to Guinevere that she had the medallion? Surely it wasn't Vegeta since he was on her side...and Chi-Chi and Launch were far too brainless to know what the medallion's purpose was to begin with. All she could think of was what her life would become now.

"Felicity, go and check to see if any of the other passage doors are unlocked. If they are, be sure to lock them." Gretel instructed, as Felicity rushed off, mumbling an 'okay'.

As Bulma's gaze turned back, she could see her changing her form back into Puar. The warm tears on her cheeks were still falling. "Where am I going to go? I do not know what to do..."

Puar's hand wiped away a stray tear on her flustered cheek. "You must run, my dear. Let your feet guide you in whatever direction they feel is the right path. I will take on the form of a phoenix and watch you from the skies. I bid you good luck, Bulma. May the heavens watch over you."

Once the dust cleared, Bulma could see her flying off into the distance, becoming a fading dot in the dusk sky. Not wasting any more time, Bulma began her sprint off into the opposite direction, letting her feet guide her to her everlasting freedom. As she got closer to the small village outside of the castle, she had no idea that some of the Queen's guards were already on the lookout for her.

"There you are! Get her!" One of them shouted.

Bulma's first instinct was to run, and that she did. Her feet dragged her nearly a mile away from the guards before she found a medium sized hole on the side of a building, watching the water drain down it. She threw herself down on her left hip, sliding with the water and soft mud. Not knowing where the drain would take her. Once all the sliding was through, the bluenette managed to land on a stone ledge, while the water beneath her bottom continued to drain down into the oceans. Not seeing any other alternative, the young princess took her chances and jumped off the ledge, feet first into the chilly ocean water.

"Damnit! The harlot managed to escape!" Another guard shouted, just as their commander appeared on his midnight black horse.

_No matter. I will find you, Bulma. And when I do, you will be in the hands of the Queen. _Dante's attention went back to his men, telling them to head back to the palace, all to face her Majesty's reprimand.

Eventually, the sun's light completely faded away, letting the moon arise from its slumber. Bulma silently thanked Kami that it wasn't full, or else the Oozaru would awaken in the Saiyan people on Vegeta. She never knew whether or not they could control themselves. She felt herself begin to shudder with the cold breeze swooping in, remembering her struggle to swim in the rapid ocean waves. Up ahead she could spot a small cave underneath a wreath of flower bushes. Before entering the cave, she noticed two sharp ended rocks in a small puddle and picked them up.

_Maybe I can start a fire. That's one thing Tarble taught me to do, since I never knew how to make those balls of light with my hands, _She thought, dashing into the cave. Once she comfortable settled herself in, she clicked the rocks together repetitively until she saw the amount of sparks increase and build into a fire. The young princess appreciated that she was able to find a way to stay warm through the night, with the hope that by dawn she would figure out her next move.

xxxx

"How the hell could you let her escape?" Guinevere knocked over yet another vase that decorated her throne room. One of the pieces nearly hit Dante in the face, but he didn't dare move an inch.

"My men have searched high and low, but there is no sign of her, your Majesty." Dante responded, keeping his gaze on the ground.

"I don't think you quite comprehend that if I do not have possession of that medallion I will not be able to rule the universe! Now due to your incompetence, I must find a Saiyan elite with the capability to hunt her down. Once I have her back here and alive, I will take the pleasure in killing her myself." Guinevere continued to look out the window that had the perfect view of the entire land that she ruled over. "Get out of my site until I call for you."

As he stood from his crouched position, her right hand left, letting the doors shut behind him.

xxxx

Upon returning from a overnight mission, Goku felt astonished that the Queen immediately called for his presence. The Saiyan warrior could feel that something wasn't settling right in his heart, but it was to be assumed when you were dealing with Guinevere. As he was escorted into the room, he noticed the guards finally back off and give him some space.

"You wished to see me, your Majesty?" He questioned, not hesitating to express his disdain.

The Queen decided to ignore him, getting straight to the point. "It seems that our dear Bulma has run off and I demand that you find her at once."

"Forgive me if I sound out of line, but why is that you all of a sudden care about Bulma? She's apparently the equivalent of dirt to you." Goku admitted, nonchalantly.

"That is none of your concern." Guinevere snapped, narrowing her eyes at him.

Goku almost let out a sarcastic laugh. _I know she's found out about the medallion. _"And if I were to refuse?"

Guinevere's harsh eyes glanced into his dark ones. What was it with people defying her? Had they not realized that she is in complete power? "Place him on his knees."

She could see him struggling just a bit, before his knees finally touched the carpet. She arose from her throne, slowly walking towards him. Her hands grasped his cheeks, smirking when she could feel him shiver under her touch. "I sense that you are quite the strong warrior...but how strong a warrior, we shall see. If not, then you will simply die."

Though he would rather chew on broken glass any day, the elite warrior gave her a curt nod indicating his comprehension. The guards gave him his space, allowing him to take his leave from the wicked demon.

_Too bad this will be the last she sees of me, for a while anyway. _He smiled, flying off into the distance. His priority was to find her, and warn her of the matter at hand.

* * *

><p>He stood against the railing to his balcony, watching the sun rise. He immediately thought of her, just like he'd been doing for a little while. The lone prince couldn't get the aqua-haired woman out of his mind. Such a enticing and fascinating beauty she was. Her bright blue eyes and rosy lips he desired to have. If only the Prince of All Saiyans could figure out where she disappeared to...<p>

"Sire, Princess Bulma has run away from the other kingdom. She's been missing for three days already, your Excellency."

Vegeta turned to one of the men from his personal guard, his eyes wide with surprise. So the bitch had found out about the medallion? How could have she found out so quickly?

_Ugghhh, curse that harlot! The same night, I knew I sensed someone lurking when I was with her, but I thought that it must have been some animal or weak creature. _He let out a growl, recollecting his thoughts. "I'll go find her myself."

While he walked out of his chambers, he was met with the familiar face of his personal attendant, who happened to hear the conversation. "If I'm not mistaken, Sire, it seems that to the observant eye that you are quite taken with this young maiden, I presume?

"Don't be a fool! I only want to find her to get answers about that whore who shouldn't be ruling my kingdom." Vegeta grumbled, trying to mask the blush on his face.

Before anyone could blink, the young prince took off into the skies, traveling at a remarkable speed in just a few minutes. As he continued his flight, he focused in on her ki trying to sense it. Sensing that it was spiking up and down, she must be in some sort of trouble. His ki powered up letting him speed into that direction.

xxxx

The galloping horses could be heard miles away. All the black stallions traveled close by with their riders, who were all allies of the Queen. The pure guardian watched from the skies, as she transformed back into her original, untainted form. Her platinum blonde hair whipped through the wind as she watched the Queen's men hunting her godchild down for death. Puar's mind instantly thought of the only Saiyan warrior she could confide in to keep Bulma impervious to the malicious soldiers.

_"Goku...Goku, darling...can you hear me?" _Puar's thoughts searched for the young Saiyan elite's thoughts for a few seconds.

_"Yes, I can hear you loud and clear, Puar._" The guardian could hear him clearly.

"_Is Guinevere still continuing her search for Bulma?" _She couldn't help but ask. The moment that Bulma began her escape from the kingdom is when the time became crucial.

_"Unfortunately, yes she is. I've been sent to hunt her and bring her to her alive. However, I do not plan on bringing her back to Guinevere." _He confessed, letting out a depressed sigh.

The guardian could understand his despairing mood. Puar could sense the bond of friendship that he made with Bulma before everything came to past. _"You're an elite warrior, child. I know that you are fully aware that a war will transpire soon if you decide not to bring Bulma back to the kingdom." _

"_I figured you would come to that conclusion, just as I have. The only way things will work in our favor is if we gather warriors. Thus far, Guinevere has us outnumbered." _He pointed out, plainly.

_"Do not spend these crucial moments worrying. I shall see to it that we have warriors. I will not send you into battle knowing that you will be slaughtered by a large number of the Queen's fighters. What the she does not have is the most experienced, powerful warriors imaginable." _Puar reassured him, gently.

He would be lying to himself if he didn't say he was confused. _"No disrespect intended, but where are these warriors? I haven't seen anyone." _

The guardian couldn't help but giggle. _"Do not fret, dear boy. Good things come to those who wait."_

xxxx

She could hear the clicking of horse hooves draw closer. Bulma's legs were tired and worn out, but she knew that her legs and her speed were all she had left to keep herself out of death's grip. Though hidden in the trees of the dreary forest, one wrong move could get the young princess caught into the clutches of her stepmother's men. Her life was on the line, and she could not afford another chance.

"Keep going! If you find the girl, report to me at once! Her Majesty wants her alive, so that she can have the privilege of bringing her life to an end."

Bulma immediately recognized Dante's voice, as the men obeyed their commanding officer. They split into smaller groups and covered separate sections of the land. Just as she was coming out of her crouched position, her delicate foot caught onto a root in the ground, causing the side of her head to collide with a large rock on the ground. The young maiden could feel her vision slipping slowly, until she could see nothing...

_The cherry blossoms were in full bloom in their garden. He rolled a small yellow ball to her small, chubby hands. His pearly teeth were shining with his perfect complexion. Balthasar held much joy for his daughter and couldn't get over how adorable she was._

_"Daddy...ball!" She chirped, running over to him with it in her hands._

_"Bulma, darling, you are wonderful. I love you so much." He told her, bestowing a kiss upon her cheek..._

_After a few more hours of play and fun, the toddler princess was tucked neatly into her snug, warm bed. A warm bath and warm milk always helped Bulma fall asleep. The King smiled, watching over his baby girl having sweet dreams..._

_"Please don't leave me, Daddy...please don't leave like my other Daddy did." A young Bulma sniffled, feeling warm hands wipe the tears from her face._

_"Don't fret my darling daughter. I will always be here with you...right here." Tarble assured her, putting his hand over her chest, where her heart lied deep beneath the bone and tissue, "As it appears, I have something I want you to have."_

_He pulled out a gold medallion, which was in the shape of a dragon. He gently placed it the young girl's hand. "This is my greatest treasure, Bulma. You're a smart girl, and I want you to keep this away from your stepmother and stepsisters. I want you to hide this in a place that no one will know of but you. This will be the one thing that will always remind you of me. With that being said, goodbye, my darling daughter." He told her, kissing her forehead. He did not fear his death, for he was sure that he would see her again in the next life..._

Her eyes slowly opened. Bulma's vision remained a bit blurry as she tried her hardest to focus on her forever dreadful surroundings. Once she sat up from her lying position, a rather large, knocking pain pounded against her head. As she moved her hand from her forehead, she realized there was crimson staining her hands. Blood.

_I must have hit my head quite vigorously. _She looked down at her casual day gown, specifically at the tattered and torn parts at the bottom. As her frail hand took the fabric into her hands, she ripped at it until she had enough material to wipe off the blood and apply necessary pressure. Bulma mustered up all the strength she could to get herself off the ground, while quickly figuring out a way to fix her mangled attire to look somewhat decent. An idea popped into her mind, as she ripped the remainder of the skirt attached to her gown, leaving her in just the top and her tights. She began walking, in hopes of finding another area of safety. There weren't too many caves in the area that she currently was in now. She came to the conclusion that the remainder of her time would be used for searching.

Just a few feet ahead of her appeared to be a cottage. From the outside, it was quite small since it was surrounded by trees and bushes. To the right of the door appeared to be a little garden that grew vegetables. Right in front was a water basin, with a hanging line and well that appeared to be for washing garments and acquiring water.

_I feel much better now. Hopefully the place will be vacant upon my entrance, _She thought, quickly walking up to the door. Pushing the door opened, she briefly looked around. The main room and kitchen were well furnished. In the main room was a fireplace with firewood neatly stacked on the side. Bulma went through the small hallways that were to the right of the kitchen. There were three rooms and a closet. The room at the very end was what she assumed to be the bigger one is comparison to the others.

_Seeing as how I've heard and see no one, this place is perfect for me to stay in. _This was the first time in a while that the young maiden felt content, and she wanted to hold onto the feeling fearing that she would never have another.

* * *

><p>Her perfectly proportioned feet dragged through the lush grass. She sensed that they were nearby, drawing closer by the second. Puar kneeled gently onto the grass, closing her eyes as the wind blew through. Too bad she had more important matters to attend to instead. Her delicate hand conjured periwinkle dust, with her fair lips forming an 'O' shape. Her eyes watched the dust disappear from her hands, tossing gently through the air. The same little mice she'd been sparing at the castle were transforming into the strong warriors that she came to care for, not just for their duties but because of their everlasting loyalty to the true Kingdom.<p>

Their eyes met once they were done realizing their original forms returned. "My children, the time has come for you to be freed. Our rightful ruler is among us, and she is in need of your aid. Go find her, and may the heavens continue to watch over you."

xxxx

A few weeks have passed since Bulma stayed in the cottage. Though she'd always been alone to a certain extent, she felt at peace because she didn't have to constantly worry about Guinevere. She recalled when she first got to the cottage and how she naturally began to tidy up and clean everything, since there was so much dust built up all around. Underneath all the dust, there lied a somewhat decent place for a single person to live in.

She smiled to herself as she went back to finishing the dress she sewed herself. After threading the last stitch, she held her masterpiece up in front of her. The pale yellow fabric was light enough to wear in the current weather. Though the design was plain, the young blunette enjoyed the simplicity of it. She wasn't used to extravagant gowns with the finest silk, so she accepted whatever she had. Her hands began to fold it the dress and set it gently in the drawer with the rest of them.

_I just hope that I will remain unharmed here. _She sighed, going to find something else to occupy her time.

xxxx

Goku still wandered through the dark forest, searching for Bulma. The last few weeks were becoming a drag for the lone elite warrior. He felt as if he were walking around in circles. He still couldn't manage to sense Bulma's ki, no matter how much he focused in. At first he thought she was dead, but there was the simple possibility that she could be suppressing it and not even know she's doing it. Goku knew that sometimes, people who couldn't control their ki were able to suppress it when they were scared or in danger. While he was continuing his walk, his frustration began to creep up into his mind once again. He couldn't believe that Guinevere was trying so desperately to get her hands on the dragon balls.

_Once I find Bulma, I must suppress my ki. We wouldn't want her soldiers to find us. Speaking of soldiers, where are the warriors that Puar told me to look out for...they should be here by now. I wonder how strong they are...or if they're Saiyans._

As he got caught up in his thoughts, he heard the sound of twig snapping. Out of pure instinct, he shot a ki blast towards in the direction of the sound. After a few pondering moments, there was nothing to be seen and kept walking.

xxxx

_Damnit! Where the hell is that woman? _The lone prince was walking through the forest as well, trying to find the young woman that captured his interest and heart. It was starting to become a pain in the ass since she suppressed her ki. He almost had her located before he sensed her ki slowly fading. Ever since, Vegeta was forced to travel on foot to find her.

Before Vegeta could look up, he could see the Queen's lieutenant, Dante with a few of the other soldiers. _So they are looking for her. Well, I have something up my sleeve for people who snitch._

He grabbed a mid-sized rock and threw it in the opposite direction of where they were searching.

"Sir, this way! I think I heard her!" One of the soldiers shouted, as they galloped away on their horses.

_Hn, idiots. Has their Queen not trained them in the art of battle? _He let up a smirk and continued his search. After walking around a little bit, he spotted a small clearing. Underneath one of the tree roots, he found what appeared to be a woman's slipper. He put the shoe up to his nose, trying to scent it. It smelled like strawberries, black currant, raspberries, and vanilla. It was her scent, and it smelled divine.

_She's nearby. My God, this scent is like a drug, _He thought, beginning to find her scent elsewhere.

xxxx

Her eyes were finally getting back to her proper vision. Blinking a few times, she looked around to see the meadow they were in. Lush green grass and a wide variety of flowers and plants; nothing like the kingdom that was in ruins. She ran her delicate fingers through her short, blonde hair, still in disbelief.

"It feels quite invigorating to be back in my body once again." The blonde warrior said, moving her fingers around a little more.

A man with the same hair, but black locks gazed his eyes in her direction. "I cannot express how happy I am that you're the first person I see, Camilla. We have Puar to thank that we're back to being ourselves, sister."

"Most certainly." Camilla gave her twin a smile.

The young warrior looked around, noticing that his comrades were coming to as well. His mind suddenly reminded him of who was behind turning them into feeble animals. "Curse her! I can't fathom how wretched that woman really is!"

Puar quickly appeared beside him, as the dust formed into hands resting gently on his shoulder. "Please calm down, my child. I see that your level of impatience hasn't changed in the several years you've been imprisoned."

"What's going on? There's just...so much negative energy." Piccolo looked towards the southeast, to where the kingdom would be located.

Raditz let out a 'hmph'. "It should be obvious to someone as powerful as you, Piccolo. The kingdom is being ruled by a tyrant who's a disgrace to all Saiyans."

"What Raditz speaks is true. Twenty years have passed. The Queen has killed Balthasar and Tarble within a short period of time." Puar added, sadly.

"And what has become of the princess?" Tien interrupted, curiously.

Puar took in his genuine concern. "She's been reduced to being a servant by Guinevere herself. She's been showing Bulma mercy up until now. Let me tell you this, children, she is destined to liberate us from the darkness. I've watched her since she was a babe."

"Will we get to meet her Highness? Is she a warrior like us?" Gohan asked, finally speaking up.

Puar smiled, while cupping his adorable cheek. "You will meet her in due time, little one. Nevertheless, it is very unfortunate, but our dear princess does not know the ways of the warrior. You must understand that until now, Bulma has not had a reason to fight. The Queen gave her shelter and food in exchange for her servant work. Now that her Majesty knows that Bulma has the medallion, she will send as many men as possible to hunt her down. The only way for the Queen to be defeated is by Bulma's hand, but in order for that to happen she must be trained immediately."

"Do you have anyone in mind to help her? It has been such a long time since we've all seen battle." Krillin responded, nervously.

"Someone who is very much dear to me is looking for her as we speak, and he has watched her since he was quite young. I want...no _need_ the eight of you to find him as quickly as possible. He was the late King Balthasar's right hand and dear friend. He's a Saiyan elite for the kingdom, so you should have no trouble finding him. You will know him when you sense his power." Puar told them, as she began to transform into an eagle, taking off into the skies.

"Come on. We need to get moving. The sooner we find this elite, the sooner we find the princess." Piccolo turned sharply, with his white cape flapping behind him.

* * *

><p>The evening soon fell upon the planet. While Bulma was preparing a nice, hot pot of stew, she found a room full of books. At the moment, she was reading something that captured interest from the moment she picked it up. The story centered on a girl who plants a mystical trees that grant her all sorts of miracles.<p>

_Oh, how I wish I had a miracle, _She thought, going back to the book. As she read on, she heard a noise just down the hall. Carefully and quietly, she gently set the book on the chair she sat upon. There was a nearby wooden paddle big enough to knock someone in the head if need be. Her bare feet pressed softly upon the hardwood flooring, as she slowly moved inch by inch towards the kitchen. Noticing the huge shadow, she instinctively whacked a huge figure across the head, causing it to cry out.

"Oww! That really hurt!" The figure revealed itself to be Goku, causing Bulma's eyes to widen with utter joy.

"Oh, Goku! I'm ever so glad to see you! How...how did you find me?" The young princess couldn't contain herself after nearly leaping on to give him a giant hug, "I thought you were one of the Queen's men...or a kidnapper...,"

"Wow, I'm sorry, Bulma. I just smelled food and it led me right to this cottage." He admitted, bashfully.

She continued to give him the biggest smile, not remembering a time that she'd been happier. "It's quite alright. Would you care to eat dinner with me? I have enough for two."

"That would be wonderful, thank you." He replied, pulling out a chair for himself.

After serving two bowls of the stew, Bulma and Goku ate in a comfortable silence. She didn't have much to say since she was so overwhelmed with emotions that she just kept to herself. Furthermore, she figured that he would tell what was going on and the real reason he found her.

She took another gentle sip. "So, did Guinevere send for you to find me?"

He looked up from his food, not expecting her to interrupt his meal. "Yes, she has, but I have no intentions or plans of taking you back to her."

"I have no way of thank you, Goku. You have done so much for me." Bulma replied, as her smile returned to her lips.

"It's no trouble. However, by me not bringing you to the kingdom it's going to inevitably cause war." He pointed out, as his tone became less calm.

"I figured that would happen, but I have no clue as to what to do." Bulma confessed, letting out a soft sigh.

"Puar is gathering an army, but I have not found the warriors that she speaks of. I have to begin training again if we're to stand a chance in battle." He got up from his chair slowly, "You should retire to bed. I'll be awake watching out for intruders."

After putting all of the dishes aside, Bulma went down the hall to her bed, enjoying the best sleep she's had in years.

xxxx

Vegeta noticed that she did a decent job covering her scent. He felt that he was getting closer, but he had to cover the rest of her scent, incase those imbeciles that worked for the Queen were to find it. After looking up, he found a small cottage, where her scent happened to end. It seemed as though it could fit more people than it let on. He walked around the perimeter, but not before being knocked to the ground and into a tree.

"Why are lurking around here and what business do you have?" Goku demanded, nudging his elbow further into the prince's throat.

Vegeta looked up, immediately recognizing him. _I should have known it was Kakkarot. _"Unhand me at once! I've been searching for the princess for weeks and tracked her down here."

"Again, what business do you have with her?" He asked, not loosening his grip.

"That is none of your concern, Kakkarot." Vegeta growled, trying to get him to let go.

Goku was shocked. No one had called him by his Saiyan name since he was a child. "Here's the deal, I'll let you stay here as long as you do not turn on Bulma."

The Saiyan prince couldn't help but scoff. "Hn. I would kill myself first before I ever considered helping that intolerable bitch."

The elite decided to concede. "Very well. You may stay, but do not awaken her."

The prince crossed his arms, letting up a smirk. "Fine. I'll stand watch in the back."

xxxx

The next morning brought upon a new day. As Krillin woke up, it dawned on him that they would be searching for the princess now. He looked outside of the tent to see his blonde comrade warming up on punches. He dejectedly remembered his true feelings for her that went beyond being a comrade. Before they were turned to mice, he reminisced the days where he'd take in her beauty from afar. He knew that he was too shy to court her, in fear that she would just deny him.

_It wouldn't hurt to just greet her, _"Good morning." He said, softly.

"Oh, hi." She murmured, continuing to warm up.

"It's really early for warming up...," He looked down at his feet not wanting to gaze into her blue eyes.

The moment he looked up, her eyes glanced over to his. "As much as I wish to take things easy, we're going to be at war sooner or later, so we don't have a lot of time to waste. I see Piccolo is meditating."

The bald warrior looked over at the Namekian warrior, levitating in mid air with deep concentration upon his face. "She's right. Speaking of which, go wake the others. We must be moving if we are to find the princess."

Before Krillin could raise the flap to the tent, he noticed Tien along with the rest of them were already awake.

Tien cracked the knuckles in his fists. "Where should we begin to look? I can't sense any power levels nearby."

"I say we take the obvious option and fly. We can cover more ground that way." Yamcha grinned, not at all using his brain.

"We can't fly. The Queen's men will be able to see us and then they'll ambush us." Gohan reminded him, as he looked around the skies.

"The more obvious option would be to go on foot. Some of the soldiers will be on horse or foot. If we walk, we can mask our power levels instead of using it to fly." Raditz told them, plainly.

"Then we best get a move on. Camilla, Krillin, Yamcha, and I will cover one area while the rest of you cover the other. Raise your power level if you find any signs of her Majesty's whereabouts." Themistocles instructed, as they all began walking off.

As they walked further into the forest, Camilla had the feeling that someone may have been watching her. Her ice blue eyes finally caught Krillin taking small glances at her while they were searching. In a way, she thought it was somewhat amusing and adorable. When she began to think about it, it had been a while since she was courted by a man, which ended poorly for her.

_Maybe being with a man would not be too bad. I can tell that he does not have bad intentions, at least I hope he does not, _She thought, continuing to walk alongside her brother.

xxxx

After waking up from the morning sun, Bulma slowly arose from her bed walking down the hall into the common area to start the fireplace. She looked out the window, noticing how nice a day it was going to be. As she drew closer to the fireplace, she noticed a familiar flame shape of hair.

"Vegeta...," She whispered, catching his attention. She watched him slowly arise from the chair he was in, "How did you find me?"

He gave her his signature smirk that made her want to turn into a puddle. "I followed your scent, woman. I covered it away from that bitch's weakling army of idiots and sent them west."

"Thank you." She smiled, messing with her messy bed head.

"Hn. Nevertheless, I demand that you tell me how to get rid of that god awful being you call a stepmother. If I can get rid of her quickly and not have to go through a civil war, then I need information." His gruff voice seemed a bit tense and anxious.

Bulma began to start the fire in the fireplace to warm the place just a bit. "I'm really sorry, but I don't know how to rid of her myself. I've just been keeping the medallion safely hidden."

He crossed his arms and turned to the window. "So, I guess avoiding war is out of the question."

Bulma casted her eyes down the dancing flames within the fireplace. She had been honest with the prince. She knew of absolutely nothing that she could possibly do at this point.

"As much as I hate to say it, you are right, Prince Vegeta. This leads me to my proposal that you spar with me." Goku's voice came from out of nowhere as Bulma noticed him standing by the dining table with a large fish.

His lips stretched into another wicked like smirk, letting out a small laugh. "Very well, Kakkarot. Just as a warning, I will crush you in a matter of seconds."

"You will be surprised at what exactly I'm capable of, your Highness." Goku smirked, as they walked outside.

"Please do be careful." Bulma told them, worriedly.

Vegeta glanced briefly into her eyes, his dark ones peering deep into her soul. "I'll be back, woman. As will Kakkarot. Besides, it is not every day that a subordinate is able to spar with the Prince of all Saiyans."

The young princess couldn't help but roll her eyes at how large his ego was as she walked back into her room down the hall.

* * *

><p>Just hours later, Gohan decided to take a break from walking when he found a tree stump to sit on. The young boy spent most of the morning with his comrades trying to locate the princess, but so far they had no luck. The search was becoming exhausting, but he knew that they couldn't give up. He sat upon the tree stump, thinking about how the princess might be.<p>

_Well, she's probably really pretty, kind, and maybe she even knows how to fight! _He smiled to himself, noticing something to his right. As he managed to push through the bushes and shrubs, he noticed a strong power level exuberating from what appeared to be a cottage. Gohan hiked up his power level to give the others his location, figuring that the cottage would be where the princess or even the elite may be. _Come on guys, I think I've found them..._

xxxx

Underneath the tree in front of the cottage, Bulma sat reading a book with the afternoon sun seeping through the leaves. A few feet away from her, Vegeta began training while Goku was off to find more food. From time to time, Bulma couldn't help but let her eyes wander away from her book and over to the Saiyan prince. He stood taller than her by a few inches, his body and physique looked as if a master artist sculpted every crevice and muscle into him. His raven black hair reminded her of the night sky. Before he could notice her observing him, she quickly went back to reading, trying hard not to blush.

Too bad the young prince did notice her watching him. Out of his peripheral vision, he couldn't help but notice how beautiful she truly was. Her aqua hair fell in long, loose ringlets. Cerulean blue eyes that looked like reflection of the ocean and held her innocence and purity. His eyes wandered to the pale yellow dress that she wore and how it showed just bit of her chest without being too provocative. He felt highly aroused from just the little bit of exposure.

_How can such an exquisite creature exist? _His daze was interrupted by the zip of pain that ran through him; his training began to catch up with him.

"Oh goodness, you're a stubborn one. You need a break from training." She carefully examined him for any fatal injuries. Nothing more than a few scrapes and maybe some fatigue.

He scoffed, reverting back to his haughtiness. "This is nothing for the Prince of All Saiyans."

_When have I NOT heard this? _She thought, rolling her eyes, moving him slowly back into the cottage.

She sat him down in a chair while gathered the medical supplies. Since Goku allowed Vegeta to stay in the cottage with them, she couldn't believe the level of arrogance or the size of his ego. Bulma knew that he was the prince, but so did everyone else on the planet. "I swear, if you say once more that you're all mightier than thou, I will personally pummel you into the ground."

The Prince smirked at the absurdity of her disposition. "Hah! That is incredibly amusing coming from a woman who cannot even defend herself, let alone fight like a warrior."

"You misunderstand, dear prince. It is simply not lady like for a woman to engage herself in acts of physical violence." Bulma replied, setting a cool cloth against his back, working it around to his chest. She immediately blushed at the physical contact.

"HAHAHAHA! Now you are merely confirming my unspoken accusations. That is why humans are inferior to the Saiyan race. Saiyan women fight alongside their mates if it circumstance came to pass." The mighty prince laughed, still not being able to complete comprehend her petty female morals.

Her brows couldn't help but furrow together as she began to wrap his bandages. "That is barbaric."

"That is survival, Princess." Vegeta stated, matter-of-factly.

She kept any further statements to herself, continuing to help with his injuries. The world unbelievable was the only word that described him. As they remained in comfortable silence, Vegeta continued to eye the pure princess. He grew used to being alone since childhood, and the idea of having someone challenge him as Bulma has was a complete rarity. The last several days they engaged in a mental battle of wits and intelligence. At first, it got on his nerves but over the recent days it grew to be amusing.

_I have never encountered, let alone killed anyone like her. For any Saiyan man, she would be a perfect mate...only if it weren't for the fact that she cannot fight like a true warrior. _

Vegeta could feel how soft and delicate her hand felt against his firm muscles and tan skin. Her scent filled his nostrils, just as it had when he first took it in. His hormones began to rage on like a tempest, remembering just how much time had passed since he'd been intimate with a woman. His eyes wandered to her blossomed bosom, pushing at the top of her dress. Her waist wasn't a small as he thought, but her hips flared into an hourglass shape.

Just as she placed the last bandage, the princess' eyes met those of the prince's once more. She began to blush again at how close in proximity she was to him. Both of them slowly leaned into a soft kiss, just as Bulma's eyes fluttered shut. Her hands gently cupped his warm cheeks, as she continued to gently suck on his bottom lip. She let out a small breath as his strong hands slid down to her waist, settling on her hips. Though it was their second kiss, she couldn't help but feel like a fish out of water; a mere novice at the art of expressing intimacy and lust.

The Saiyan prince felt intoxicated. Her scent was all that he could smell. If there was a fire outside trapping them together, he would pay it no mind. His hormones were going through a storm of lust. Just as he decided to deepen the kiss, he sensed her apprehension and loosened his grip on her waist.

Bulma's hands were back in her lap, as she let out a shaky breath. She avoided looking at him. "Please forgive me. I have never been this intimate with a man before."

Vegeta's hand gently lifted her chin, so that he could gaze into her ocean blue orbs. His fingers brushing against her rosy cheek. "I will not, as long as I have air to breathe, let any living creature harm you."

Just as Bulma wanted to speak, Vegeta immediately tensed. He could sense a different energy that wasn't Kakkarot's just outside the cottage. "I will be back, Woman. Stay put as I check the perimeter."

"Vegeta, wait, tell me what is going...," Bulma started, hearing a wail coming from outside. She slowly walked towards the door, as the prince came into her view.

"Tell me what you are doing here now, before I blast you into oblivion!" Vegeta snarled at the bald stranger, that he had lifted by the collar.

"I...I...swear...I...I meant no harm!" The stranger cried in fear.

"We are here for the Saiyan elite that we were informed to meet. His energy led us here." Bulma noticed a short haired blonde woman approach Vegeta. Her facial features were relaxed but firm.

"Hn. You need not look any further than you have. You are looking at the only Saiyan elite in the Saiyan race." He let up a sly grin, dropping the bald man on his backside.

She grimaced him fiercely. "You have got to be joking, right?"

The prince snarled at her. "How dare you, you insolent harlot! You _should_ be bowing at my feet!"

"Yeah, I am so sure. You are not the energy that we have been sensing." Camilla mumbled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Bulma came from out of the cottage, joining his side. "Vegeta, what is going on here?"

Before a response could be given, Bulma noticed more people coming into view. Her eyes gazed at the tall, green Namekian that stood out in the group. She recalled some of the lessons she had with Tarble about the Namekian race and their culture...and that they were very friendly and peaceful people.

The Namekian kneeled on his left knee at the young bluenette's feet. "It is a great honor to be in your presence, your Majesty. I am Piccolo, a warrior forever faithful to the late King Balthasar."

Vegeta and she noticed that all the other people followed suit with him. She felt flattered. "It has been so long since anyone has shown this much respect for me. Thank you, but I do not know any of you."

The long haired Saiyan stood from his kneeled position. "We are warriors sent by Puar to find a Saiyan elite who would be with you.

Another warrior, who looked similar to the blonde girl from before stood as well, narrowing his eyes. "I sense an incredibly amount of energy approaching our position."

Bulma turned to see that everyone was staring at Goku, who was occupied carrying an extremely large fish. "Oh, Goku you are back!"

"Yes, I am, Bulma. Who are these people? I felt Vegeta's energy increase rapidly before my arrival." Goku said, looking around, "Is there anything we can help you with?"

"We were sent to find you by Puar and to aid you in fighting the Queen." Tien repeated, calmly.

Bulma interrupted, noticing the sun beginning to set. "Well, since the sun is managing to provide less light, why don't we go inside? Goku has provided us with a plentiful dinner."

With a unanimous approval, Bulma allowed for everyone to move inside. While everyone began to introduce themselves to Goku and started supper, her mind focused on the kiss that took place prior to now. She felt embarrassed that she came across timid and inexperienced. Though she stood by her established morals, it didn't help her feel any better about the situation.

_I just hope he does not think that I am a loose woman, _She thought, continuing to chop some ingredients.

"What do you all know about the Queen?" Bulma's ears tuned in to the conversation between the new warriors and Goku.

"She's a heartless tyrant who does not have any of the Saiyan people's thoughts in mind." Raditz spat, venomously.

"Forgive his lip; this is not exactly a thrilling subject to discuss. We are also aware of King Tarble's death at the hands of Guinevere." Piccolo added, briefly glaring at his Saiyan comrade.

"Despite what you know, it is painfully clear that war is soon to transpire and we must properly prepare for the day of battle." Goku pointed out, looking into the flickering flames in the fireplace.

Krillin interrupted for a moment. "Is there any intelligence being collected about the Queen? I mean, there is no point in going into a fight blindly."

"As long as I have been an elite for the kingdom, I doubt that the Queen has any skills of battle similar to a Saiyan warrior; however she has the capability to wield a sword and has thousands of soldiers at her disposal. If they train hard enough for whatever amount of time we have, they can potentially hold their own against us." Goku answered, plainly.

"I have a question. If we all have to train, who is going train the princess at the same time?" Gohan questioned, as everyone's eyes casted to Bulma.

Goku let out a heavy sigh as he massaged his temples. "I did not want it to come to this, but given that we are at a disadvantage...Bulma is going to fight alongside us."

"You have got to be joking? What can some prissy, spoiled girl like her be able to do? She will just slow the rest of us down!" Camilla shouted, with a clear objection the elite's idea.

"Camilla...," Themistocles whispered, appalled at his sister's behavior.

Bulma had enough. Ever since the blonde showed up at their cottage, she had been giving Bulma the nastiest looks imaginable. "What the hell is your problem? Ever since you made your arrival, you have been nothing but an incredibly vile bitch!"

Camilla's ice blue eyes shot daggers at the princess. "Oh, my apologies for not wanting to waste my time with someone who rather sip tea and play dress up."

"I am sorry that I do not take the time to look like a donkey's ass everyday!" Bulma countered, gripping the butcher blade in her hand.

"That will be enough!" Piccolo's voice bellowed, glaring at Camilla before she decided to storm out.

_The nerve of that girl. Why does she hate me and she has no idea who I am? _Bulma went back to setting the table, ignoring the ridiculous scene that the blonde woman put on.

Themistocles arose from his place upon the floor. "Please forgive my sister, your Majesty. She is not always so crass and rude."

The Saiyan Prince let out a snort, diverting his attention back to the other elite. "Since you have the brightest ideas, Kakkarot, who do you suggest trains her?"

Goku sarcastically laughed as he crossed his arms. "I will. I rather not have someone is not...stable enough to train her properly."

The prince knew he was being patronized for his Saiyan hormones, but chose to ignore the subordinate's comment.

"Do I not have a say in this? I do not know the first thing about engaging in battle." Bulma finally spoke up, watching everyone look back at her.

Goku could tell that she was starting to become unsure and scared, which he expected. "Bulma, if what Puar has told the both of us is true, then that means that this is truly your destiny to liberate the kingdom from Guinevere's clutches. You must step up and claim your birth right and take the throne that rightfully belongs to you."

She hesitantly gave in. "Okay, I will train with you all."

"Good. We start bright and early tomorrow morning." Goku responded, gently patting her cheek. Tomorrow would be the dawn of a new day for the princess. To be liberated or perish was all that surrounded Bulma's thoughts.

* * *

><p><strong>OH GOSH THAT WAS A LOT TO WRITE! Anyway, I loved writing this chapter in addition to the last one. Bulma and Vegeta's relationship is finally beginning to come together...and I'm so happy that I got to include more characters this time around! Moving on, I want to thank you guys for all your support. I just wanted to let you know that I will be taking a short break from updating because I have tons of other stories that have yet to be updated and for some it's been a nearly a couple years since I've done any work on them. So until next time, love you guys and review!<strong>

**Cherriez**


	6. Realizing Destiny

**Yes, I know that it's been a while. Long story short, a lot of things have been going on in my life that are personal and I really don't feel comfortable divulging them, but nevertheless, I'm going to try and update as much as I can before I get too busy. So enjoy this next chapter and thanks for sticking by me! :)**

* * *

><p><em>Realizing Destiny: Bulma's Power Unleashed<em>

The following morning, Bulma woke up early to begin her training with Goku as planned. Of course she was the last one to awaken, since everyone was used to being up in the early hours training. To say that she was nervous would be an understatement. The young princess had not a clue what it meant to train or how to go about doing it. As the days went by she had no clue if Guinevere was getting stronger by the day.

_What if I am not cut out for training? All I know how to do is sew and do chores, _She thought, sighing as she walked past the others punching, kicking, and dodging.

"Oh good, your Majesty, you're awake." Goku chirped, giving her a slight bow.

Bulma gave him a warm smile. "Goku, you know there's no need for formalities. If anything, I should be bowing to my sensei."

"Well, nire ikaslea, we should get started," Goku responded, cracking his knuckles, "For right now, I'm going to teach you how to manipulate ki."

For a moment, Bulma was confused. Before she could ask what exactly he was talking about, he put it in simpler words. "What I mean is controlling your energy. Everyone has it, but it's easier for some than it is for others."

Before she could say another word, Goku easily formed a small, bluish white ball in his hands. The spirit like glow fascinated the young princess. "Now, all you have to do is concentrate. Put your body and mind into it."

Doing as she was told, Bulma held her hands held as if she were holding something in her palms and began to focus. She imagined a ball similar to Goku's lighting up in her hands and being able to move it with ease. To her chagrin, nothing was happening which made her feel disappointed.

"Oh, do not get discouraged. It is going to take quite a bit of practice before you get the hang of it, but I remain faithful to you, Bulma." Goku put a gentle hand on her shoulder and smiled.

Bulma gave him a small nod, but continued trying anyway. Her mind immediately shifted to her father...and how she wanted no more than to make him and Tarble proud to save their fallen kingdom. She thought of even making her mother proud, though the young girl didn't remember much of her. Upon focus on those she held dear to her, she felt something begin to shine on her face. Once she opens her eyes, Bulma witnessed the smallest ball of pale gold light flickering around her dainty hands.

On the side, Raditz immediately looked over to see the small golden ball of light, as did Themistocles just before taking an open strike to the long haired Saiyan. Both men halted their spar upon watching Bulma form energy in her hands.

"That is incredible. It usually takes any normal warrior weeks or months to possess that amount of ki. For someone like her to be able to channel ki in an hour is astounding." Themistocles' voice didn't rise any further than a whisper.

Raditz agreed just the same. "She has no background as a warrior and she can form energy that quickly? It is amazing, for someone who is not even a Saiyan."

While the Prince was watching the scene, he huffed at what the short haired warrior had to say about the woman. _Maybe the woman is destined to liberate my own planet and hers. _

After the moment of awe, Goku and Bulma went through sets of drills on punching, kicking, and blocking. Goku could see that she was becoming a little bored, but that all changed once they started going through putting punching, kicking, and blocking together to form different techniques. It made the young princess feel better once she began to get the hang of it. After a few hours, Goku decided to give his new pupil a well deserved break for her dedication through their training.

"Rest up, Bulma. I am going to fetch dinner for this evening." Goku told her, rushing off into the woods.

The young girl lied back into the bed of grass underneath her, allowing the coolness of it to relax her now aching muscles. Once she was relaxed, she looked at her hands that were now clammy and dirty. Looking at them, she never thought that she'd ever agree to, let alone condone fighting and violence. Though the idea still bothered her, she would put up with it if it meant protecting Planet Vegeta and the entire universe from Guinevere.

"You did a great job training today, your Highness."

Bulma slowly sat up from lying in the grass and noticed that Gohan was sitting across from her smiling. "I remember when I was learning how to possess ki; I was not able to possess it within a few hours time."

"Oh, thank you, Gohan. I would not have been able to possess it without Goku's help." Bulma could feel herself blushing, feeling modest.

Piccolo arrived by Gohan's side moments later. "You have done quite well for your first day of training."

"Thank you so much, all of you. You are all great warriors as well." Bulma said, smiling. Once the Namekian and Saiyan went back to their spar, the scar faced warrior took it upon himself to begin talking to the princess. Yamcha had thought about it for a while, and he couldn't help but notice Bulma's beauty. She was a human just like him, so he figured he had somewhat of a chance to court her.

"Hello, your Highness." Yamcha appeared in front of her just a she was wiping her face with a cloth.

"Oh, hello...I am terribly sorry, I did not catch your name before...," Bulma muttered, awkwardly.

_What!? How does she not even know my name and I have been here the entire time? _The warrior thought, brushing it aside, "It's Yamcha, your Majesty."

"Oh, well it is nice to make your acquaintance." Bulma responded, setting her cloth on the wooden ledge along the well, with the rest of the dirty clothing.

In the background, Bulma did not take notice to a familiar Saiyan prince fuming with anger. The nerve of that third class, sorry excuse of a warrior to try courting a royal, but even the fact that the weakling thought he had legitimate chance irked him like no other.

_That disgusting, low class weakling! Who the hell does he think he is? She is a royal and should not be wasting time with that bastard! _He instantly started growling, while the rock that was in started crumbling.

"Hey, what's going on with the Prince? His energy is steady rising." Krillin whispered, amongst Tien and Themistocles.

The raven haired warrior glanced over at the Saiyan briefly and then in the direction of the princess. "I noticed that as well. It seems as if he is angered by Yamcha somehow."

Without listening to another word, the three eyed warrior took it upon himself to walk in the direction of his comrade and Bulma. "Yamcha, why not get back to our spar? I am quite sure that her majesty wishes to get back to her training. I am I right, your Excellency?"

"Oh, but of course. It was quite nice speaking with you." Bulma agreed, politely bringing the conversation to an end. As the two men moved further away, Bulma reviewed some of the techniques that she learned until Goku returned with dinner, just so she could grow accustomed to having to use them in battle.

"Punch like you mean it. Do not hold anything back."

Bulma looked up and noticed Camilla cracking her knuckles as she approached her. "Nine times out of ten, the enemy will have no problem wanting to kill you."

Once she walked away, Bulma put what the blonde said to use. As she continued her drills and techniques, she wondered why Camilla had such an attitude towards her. From the moment everyone arrived at the cottage, Bulma seemed to only notice Camilla who held some sort of hatred towards her.

_I really just desire to know what her problem is with me, _Bulma thought, shaking the thought from her head and focusing on what was important in the long run.

xxxx

"The King will see you now."

Guinevere looked up at King Vegeta's guard, following him into the throne room flipping her auburn hair over her shoulder. Ever since Bulma's disappearance, she found it funny that the young prince was nowhere to be found days after. The Queen felt as if something was being hidden by the King, so she went straight to the horse's mouth.

_I do not have the patience for his meddling. He will tell me where they are hiding if he does not want to be killed, _She thought, finally approaching the King's throne.

"Oh, what an unexpected...and somewhat vile, surprise this is. Her Majesty, in my palace." King Vegeta sneered. He showed no hesitation in expressing his sarcasm and displeasure with her appearance.

Ignoring his comment, she politely curtsied in his presence. "I am grateful that you invited me in, King Vegeta."

"Do I need to even ask why you are here?" He questioned, raising a curious brow.

"Let's just skip the banter for now. Where is she?" The wicked ruler asked, viciously.

"And this 'she' you speak of is your stepdaughter...," The King stated, plainly.

"Of course I mean my stepdaughter! It cannot just be a coincidence that as soon as _she_ escapes, your _son_ just so happens to disappear days later. If you know something, it would be in your _best_ interest to tell me her whereabouts!" She hissed, moving closer to his throne.

"Enough! I have no idea where the hell your stepdaughter is not nor do I even know what the girl looks like! It would be in _your_ best interest to watch your tone before I have you executed where you stand!" The King bellowed, his anger nearly getting the better of him.

Guinevere stepped a little further back, glaring her harsh eyes into his onyx ones. "She was here a few weeks prior when you and your son hosted the ball in search of a bride. So you should know what she looks like, correct?"

"False. As you seem to forget, your _Majesty, _I am King of Planet Vegeta. My son is a grown man, and who he decides to socialize with is none of my concern. In addition, I have other people in my court that I had business to handle." The King explained, leaning forward in his throne.

She let out a sarcastic laugh. "So...your son just leaves and never bothered to mention where exactly he ran off to?"

"I will not repeat myself for a second time. If you do not mind, men, would you please escort her Highness out." The King turned his back and left with his advisor as his guards showed Guinevere out.

As she gracefully walked out, she let her cloak flip behind her. _If he does not want to give me answers, I have ways of finding Bulma myself._

* * *

><p>Later that evening, Goku manage to return with dinner for Bulma to prepare so that it would provide her a break from training. Once dinner was served, Bulma had a nice conversation with Goku and Gohan before things began to get extremely quiet. Everyone present at the table could feel the unbearable and apparent tension between Vegeta and Yamcha. Yamcha didn't really understand why the tension was there in the first place. He knew that Bulma wasn't being courted by any other man and that she was human just like him. It would make more sense for her to be courted by another human.<p>

_I do not see what the problem is. She is beautiful, smart, kind...why would I not want to court her? _He thought, focusing on his meal while trying to ignore the glare of the Prince.

_**Since Bulma is of royalty and upper class, she is to only mate with those who are of the same rank as her, if not higher, **_Raditz explained, telepathically.

_**So if that is the case, what is wrong with the Prince? Ever since Yamcha was speaking to Bulma earlier, his ki has been flaring since then, **_Themistocles pointed out, while enjoying his meal silently.

_**It is because he is becoming territorial over the Princess. Once a Saiyan male grows accustomed to a woman's scent, which make us Saiyan men obsessive. It will drive us to mark our territory around said woman. It is safe to say that Prince Vegeta has become quite smitten with Bulma, and he is possibly ready to mate her at any given moment**__, _Raditz explained, keeping his arms crossed as he focused on the conversation.

_**Now is not the time to be mating anyone. She needs to be specifically focused on training**__, _Piccolo added, going outside to meditate.

_**Goku training Bulma does make more sense now. Kami knows what would happen if Vegeta were training her**__, _Themistocles shuddered at the thought, but dismissed it and retired to bed.

Before the warriors retired to bed for the evening, Krillin finally got the courage to talk to Camilla. Every time he tried to get the courage to speak to her, he would manage to talk himself out of it. Today, he pushed himself to be confident.

"Camilla." Krillin spoke up, catching her attention.

She turned to face him, after setting the last of the dishes next to Bulma. "What is it?"

"Would you spar with me tomorrow morning?" He finally asked, proud of himself for not stammering.

"Oh, of course. Just do not go easy on me because I am a female. I might just beat you to a bloody pulp if you do." She responded, managing to put on a smile.

In the background, Vegeta let out a snort before the blonde went off on him. "Alright, bring it on, Monkey!"

"With pleasure, bitch!" He growled, taking a step towards her.

"Enough!" Goku shouted, glaring at both of them.

"Bulma, that meal was really delicious. I enjoyed it." Gohan told her, helping her dry the dishes.

The young princess could not help but smile at the young boy. "Why thank you, Gohan that is most sweet of you to say. A very dear friend of mine taught me how to cook before I left the kingdom."

The Saiyan Prince grumbled to himself before walking out the door. "I am going to train."

Once he was out the door, Yamcha let out a breath of relief. "Man, that guy has issues!"

"He is not always like that. He does have the capability to be a gentleman." Bulma responded, defending the lonesome prince. It irritated her how someone could blatantly judge someone without even getting to know their character or background.

After cleaning all the dishes and putting them away, Bulma noticed that the Prince was still outside. Quietly, she shut the door behind her and went to join him while he continued sitting on a tree stump. She didn't enjoy seeing him by himself all the time and none of the other warriors, excluding Goku, wanted anything to do with him.

_He is not as bad as everyone makes him out to be_, She thought, continuing to advance towards him, "How are you feeling? You seem a bit upset."

The Saiyan Prince's ears tuned to the soft, soprano of her bell like voice. He didn't have to hear her voice to know that she was in his presence. Her scent was enough for him to know she was near. "I am fine. I was just simply disgusted by that weakling's attempt to court you."

"Oh, Yamcha. I was barely paying him any mind. I have been too focused on saving the people of Vegeta." Bulma could feel her face warming up just a bit. Sometimes it was so difficult to be around such a gorgeous man like Vegeta, since she still wasn't used to having any attention from the opposite sex.

_Such a beauty she is, _He thought, slowing claiming her lips once again. Bulma felt a little more comfortable kissing him. Though he wasn't the type of person to express his feelings all the time, Bulma felt so much love and lust in that one kiss. She willingly let his tongue go to battle with hers, as she wrapped her arms around his neck. His large, calloused hands caressed her waist and hips gently as he deepened the kiss. Vegeta could feel himself getting more aroused and hard with every touch he felt from her delicate hands.

Bulma couldn't help but let out a small moan. Her kissing with the Saiyan prince was exhilarating. She had never felt intimacy like this in her life. She had dreamt of her first kiss, but she never imagined anything like Vegeta was giving her. The intensity of his kissing was enough to make her dizzy. He was so full of lust and passion.

On pure instinct, Vegeta easily slid her further into his lap, wanting to feel her pressed against him. His hips began grinding against hers. He let out a low growl as he lowered her into the grass. He had to mate her now or else he'd drive himself into insanity. He yearned to touch her and he couldn't wait any longer.

_Kami, I cannot hold back any longer! I have to mate her...NOW! _He was so caught up in his lust for the princess that he didn't even notice his grip on her dress was so tight. Instead of lifting her dress, his strength ended up tearing at it.

"Vegeta!"

Her voice snapped him out of his trance. His obsidian eyes took in the scene; her hair fanned out above her, her cheeks were a rosy pink, with parted lips and a torn gown. That was when the guilt set in. He felt so ashamed for his actions. How could he be so foolish?

_I could have hurt her...and by the time I noticed, she would have been..., _He backed away from her body and storms off into the forest.

As soon as he was out of sight, Bulma sat up from her lying position, wondering what just happened.

* * *

><p>Before anyone could wake up that morning, Bulma got an early start and went to go look for Vegeta. Ever since the incident between the two of them, Bulma wasn't able to go to sleep. She decided that once the sun began to rise she would look for him.<p>

_I hope he is all right. I do not wish for him to get hurt by these strange creatures. _After thinking about the situation, Bulma felt extremely guilty for what happened. Maybe if she hadn't given into kissing Vegeta, then he wouldn't have run away into the forest.

At the same time, the dark essence of the Queen made its way through the forest. All the trees, grass, and plants began to slowly rot and die, turning into black twigs and dead grass. While she walked through the forest, Guinevere stopped by a puddle. She couldn't help but take one glance at in that moment, her heart filled with more rage and hatred. Her irresistible beauty and youth was beginning to fade away. She didn't know how much she could tolerate not having the medallion in her hands.

The Queen continued her slow stride noticing that there were footprints from her soldiers from the royal crest that was imprinted in the mud. From what Guinevere could gather, her army was led off course away from their original track.

_Someone is aiding her. It has to be Goku, since he has not yet returned with her alive. Or he might be dead..., either way I will find her and take what is rightfully mine. _With that thought in mind, the raging tyrant continued her way through the forest.

Dante, however, was faring better than his Queen. While the Queen remained in pursuit of her stepdaughter, the lieutenant managed to catch onto Goku's scent. He'd been following it for at least five miles, only for him to come into view of the cottage. At the same time he was picking up Goku's scent, Dante could detect brief hints of the princess' scent as well.

_They must be here, but it seems as if they have deserted it. Might as well leave this just in case they return later, _He thought, quickly tossing a seed into some open dirt.

"I knew I could sense one of you imbeciles wandering around."

Dante's head whipped around to see the mighty Prince of the Saiyans. The commander's eyes were as wide as saucers realizing he had been caught. Before he could respond, the prince's hands grasped his neck and effortlessly snapping, dropping the lieutenant to the ground to die.

"Heh, can't have scum like you going off giving that bitch any information, now can we?" Vegeta grumbled, walking silently back into the forest.

Unbeknownst to Vegeta, another of the fallen lieutenant's men had wandered off back into the direction of the castle to receive the fatal news.

xxxx

"Vegeta? Vegeta! Where are you, Vegeta? Vegeta!" Bulma called, for the umpteenth time that morning. She spent a good three hours looking for the Saiyan prince. It had frustrated her to no end that she couldn't find him after searching for so long.

While approaching another tree, Bulma found a vibrant blue butterfly land on a midsized rock, then fluttering away from her rather quickly. With her curiosity piqued, Bulma ran after the butterfly and further into the forest. After ducking below tree branches and jumping across puddles, Bulma finally found where the butterfly was leading her to. It was enchanting part of the forest that looked pure and untouched by Guinevere. It was like nothing she'd ever seen. The grass was a lush, vivid green. The plants, animals, and flowers were nothing she ever came across being in the kingdom. The scenery was so heavenly that she wishes she had more time to enjoy it.

Nevertheless, Bulma continued looking for Vegeta. It was weird how they went from kissing and being intimate to him storming off the way he did.

_Hopefully I'll find him soon. This has grown to be quite ridiculous. _She sighed and began to search for him once more.

Meanwhile, Vegeta finally returned back to the cottage where the others were already training; however, one person's ki was not accounted for. He knew right off the bat it was Bulma, but he couldn't imagine where she would run off to.

"Where is she?" Vegeta asked, turning his attention onto her sensei.

Goku looked puzzled as he stopped throwing punches in the air. "I thought you would have some idea as to where she could be. She has been gone since the early hours of dawn."

The Prince's heart immediately sank. How could they _not_ know where his woman was? Were they that distracted that they couldn't make sure she didn't wander off? "I will go find her."

"Vegeta wait! We must not act irrationally. Bulma will eventually make her way back to the cottage, so there is no use in going after her. In the meantime, just wait here and train with the rest of us." Goku explained, calmly.

xxxx

"And you are sure that they are there?" Guinevere raised a brow at her loyal soldier.

"Yes, your Grace. It was at the same moment that Dante was killed by the Prince." He responded, keeping his face towards the ground.

Guinevere looked out the window at the kingdom she reined over, trying not to show her displeasure. "Fine. Seamus, please if would direct my soldiers in the proper direction. I want them killed. All of them."

"Would you like an ambush, your Grace?" Seamus questioned, curiously.

"It is the best course of action. They will not expect the sudden attack." She ordered, calmly.

Seamus turned his attention to the door, but not before turning back to his Queen. "Your Majesty, about Goku?

Guinevere gave him a curt nod. "I want him dead as well. He has deliberately defied me to aid her. They will all be living proof that no one will dare defy me."

xxxx

After being on her feet for nearly five and a half hours, Bulma thought it would be best to head back to the cottage. She was never going to find Vegeta at the rate she was going and decided to go back to where she would be safe. Bulma couldn't help but feel like she was the reason he was gone in the first place. She could tell that restraining himself from taking her maidenhead before marriage was killing him on the inside, but she appreciated that he was being a man about the situation in the long run.

While she saw the cottage coming into view, Bulma noticed that an apple tree was right beside the clothes line, where everyone's clean clothes were drying. The tree took her back to when she was little and had an apple tree that Tarble used to water and nurture every year, while letting her eat all the apples they grew.

_It could not hurt to just eat one, _She thought, taking the apple clean off the tree. She brought it to her lips to take one bite. As she began to chew, Bulma could feel her body suddenly becoming heavy and her mind begin to turn. Her delicate hand immediately dropped the apple to ground just before she collapsed into the lush green grass.

With her collapsing, Goku could feel Bulma's ki begin to drop rather quickly along with the rest of the warriors. "Something is wrong with the Princess. Her ki...,"

"It is like she's dying." Yamcha whispered, looking in that direction as well.

Before anyone could react, the Prince took off into Bulma's direction, hoping to find her before her ki had the chance to completely fade. It took Goku a few seconds to process what exactly Vegeta was doing.

"Vegeta! No!" Goku shouted. He was far too late to stop him.

"Goku! What is going on?" Krillin asked, approaching him from the nearby meadow he was training in.

"Yes, Bulma's ki is dropping very quickly." Piccolo added, appearing out of nowhere.

Goku looked back at everyone slowly coming together. His brows were still furrowed from deep thought. Things weren't making any sense. First, Bulma's ki was dropping very quickly and then the sudden chill in the air. "Something is very odd. I do not know about you, but I am beginning to feel giant power levels approaching our position."

The older elite turned in the opposite direction as his eyes widened in horror. All his eyes could spot were huge black mobs and stallions that carried the crest of the evil tyrant.

Themistocles gasped in realization. "We are being ambushed!"

Yamcha could see that the giant Dark army was moving in closer to them. "How did the Queen's men find out where we were located?"

It took the blonde warrior a minute to process the current events that were unfolding and it suddenly hit her. "Damn him! It was Vegeta! When he went to go find Bulma just now, his ki spiked and he gave us away."

"Damnit! Well, it seems that we have no choice but to fight them off." Raditz responded, as everyone got into their fighting stances.

"Long live the Queen!" The lieutenant shouted, letting the fight begin. For the smaller group of warriors, everything happened with the blink of an eye. Fists were flying, legs were striking, and swords were being drawn all in between. As they would also learn, bloodshed was always inevitable in battle.

* * *

><p>While the battle could be heard by her ears from several feet away, Bulma could focus on nothing but her situation at hand. Her throat felt as if it were being tightly held by a squid or by the hand of a strong warrior. She could feel her life slipping from her as the seconds went by. The moment her blue eyes looked up, she assumed she was hallucinating. Bulma could see her wicked stepmother walking slowly towards her, looking down at her like dirt.<p>

"You make me absolutely sick! You are lucky to know what it is like to not age! Because of your existence, I cannot attain my full power! It is no matter now, for you will die in mere seconds." Guinevere taunted, letting her lips turn into a satisfied smirk.

At the same time, Vegeta was still on the hunt for the princess. He felt as if he were running for miles. The trail to her was beginning to run cold since he could barely detect her ki. It was almost nonexistent. If he didn't get to her in the next few minutes, she would surely be dead. When he looked up into the sky, he could see black bats hovering within a few feet of a nearby clearing and immediately continued his hunt. Once he arrived, he saw the evil bitch wielding a dagger. He immediately threw a ki ball at her hand, causing the dagger to fly into a nearby tree.

She whipped her face and long auburn locks in the Saiyan prince's direction; her eyes wielding malice and pure hatred. "If you value your life, Prince Vegeta, I highly suggest that you do not interfere! This fight has nothing to do with you!"

"I beg to differ. The day I let some weak, futile piece of trash take over _my _kingdom is the day I willingly give up the throne."

"Very well. If you refuse to stand down, I will gladly oblige in killing you." She wrapped her cape around until her body completely diminished into a swarm of bats that fly in his direction.

_Hn. What a pathetic fool, _He thought, dodging the swarm of bats effortlessly and blasting a few in the process. Once he landed by Bulma's side, he could hear the dark, feminine laugh of the tyrant from afar. It was the kind of laugh that sent chills down everyone's spine.

_**Her downfall is near...**_

The Saiyan prince took a few deep breaths before focusing his attention on the princess. His obsidian orbs watched as the bitten apple dissolved into a thick, off white paste puddle, and then proceeding to turn into smoke. Vegeta noticed that her skin was so pale that the blue and purple undertones were starting to become apparent. The only vibrant color that stood out was her turquoise hair. He brought his face closer to hers, picking up on the smell of the poison that was laced with the apple.

_Whatever it may be, it will not harm a Saiyan. _With that thought in mind, he caressed her cold cheek before bringing his lips to meet hers. Her lips felt like rose petals against his as he lets out a sigh into her mouth. As he backs away from her, Bulma's body began to jerk a little as she began to cough, dislodging the piece of apple that she chewed. She began heavily gasping as she realized Vegeta's presence next to her.

"Vegeta...wha...what happened?" She asked, a little above a whisper.

"The Queen...she set us all up. The apple you nearly ate was laced with poison and now Kakarot along with the others are being ambushed by the Dark army." He explained, loosely embracing her body.

"That is terrible! We must go to them at once!" Bulma tried to push herself up, but immediately felt lightheaded.

"You mustn't! You will stay with me for the time being." He ordered, laying her back in his lap.

_Vegeta! Vegeta! Vegeta, can you hear me? _Goku's voice began echoing in the prince's head.

_Yes, I can hear you quite clearly, Kakarot! What is that you want?_The Prince of all Saiyans rolled his eyes at the fool's loudness.

_Look, I do not have a lot of time! Take Bulma as far away from the cottage as you possibly can and start setting up camp. _

_And since when did you think you could start ordering me around, Kakarot? You are a subordinate under my rule, in case you have forgotten,_He grumbled, managing to pick Bulma up bridal style.

_Now is not the time for that. And for the record, I am an elite warrior for the kingdom, _He made mention before letting go of the mental link.

_Whatever. _"Hold onto me tightly, Woman. It is going to be a long road ahead."

Bulma opened her eyes once she felt the rush of wind lift from her face. Vegeta had just landed in a random spot where she could see a castle in the distance. She slowly stepped out of his arms and looked into the distance at the castle. It was white, but not so what that it was hard to look at. It seemed pure, more pure than the castle she was accustomed to living in.

"That is my kingdom. Given the position we are in, the castle is only about six miles from here." Vegeta explained, while moving his hand around in the grass.

"What is it that you are looking for?" Bulma questioned, curiously.

"This." Vegeta managed to grab hold of a rusted chain and pulled it upward. Once he pulled hard enough, Bulma could see that it was a door that led underground.

"What's down there?" Bulma asked, looking at the stone stairs.

Vegeta managed to wipe some of the loose dirt off his armor. "It's safe house. It used to belong to your mother and father for times similar to now. It is the safer than the cottage, as long as our power levels remain low."

As he began his descent, he noticed that she felt a bit hesitant. Just by that one look on her face, he could see the vulnerability and fear expressed in her youthful features. The Saiyan prince could understand why, seeing as how she almost died.

He gently took her hands into his very own. "Woman, we have no other alternatives if we do not want another run in with your weakling stepmother. I gave you my word as Prince of Vegeta that I will not let any harm come to you. Granted, I nearly failed before; I can assure you it will _not_ happen again."

Bulma let out a small smile upon hearing his words. "Okay."

After she descended the stone stairs, she could hear Vegeta making sure that the door was securely locked. Hearing how devoted and protective he was over her made Bulma feel desired and wanted, two things she hadn't felt in such a long time. Though he was arrogant, self-absorbed, cocky, and crass, Bulma could only find that the good outweighed the bad.

Once she was further underground, the young princess couldn't believe her eyes. The quarters that used to belong to her parents looked nothing like she imagined. Everything looked lavish and pristine. There was enough space for everyone to stay down there. In an effort to see their surroundings, Vegeta sent blue ki balls to each candelabra and candle mounted into the walls, immediately illuminating the room.

"We will remain here until the day of battle. Given the lack of space, we will have to train above ground. You are not to wonder off anywhere above ground unless you are accompanied by any of us, excluding the blonde wench. I will not have a repeat of what happened earlier." He explained, sternly.

Bulma looked at him incredulously. To her, it seemed as if he was blaming her for the others being ambushed and whatever else occurred. "No offense, _your Highness_, but the only reason I wandered off in the first place was due to you storming off after you-"

"Yes, I am quite aware of what transpired prior to now!" He nearly snarled, causing her to flinch.

She noticed that she hit a nerve and immediately softened her tone. "Why did you storm off the other night? I went looking for you before all this happened. Was it something I did?"

The way she was looking at Vegeta, it made it hard for the Saiyan Prince not to melt in her hands. He reflected on what exactly happened that night. She had approached him outside because she was concerned about him, which led to him almost mating her in the grass. Even now, her scent nearly drove him to insanity.

"It had nothing to do with you, Woman. I just...needed to clear my head." He responded, sitting down in one of the crème colored chairs that graced the room they were in.

"It seemed to me as if you were angry instead of clearing your head." Bulma argued, plainly.

He scoffed at her while rolling his eyes. "You could never understand, Woman."

"I might if you would talk to me. I will listen to you. I know firsthand what it is like to not have anyone." She interrupted, taking a seat next to him.

He looked up into her bright blue eyes as if she had lost every bit of sense. No one had ever taken an interest in anything the Prince had to say. "It is not worth discussing. Just leave it at that."

"Well, if you do change your mind I am here for you. I have come to care for you significantly since our reuniting, your Grace." She told him, genuinely.

He looked at her one last time before getting up from his chair. "You must rest for now, Woman. You will resume your training with Kakarot tomorrow."

As the Saiyan Prince wandered off about the safe house, Bulma went off in search of a fresh change of clothes. She moved into what seemed to be the master suite and found two double doors in the far off corner. As she slowly slid them apart, she noticed that there was a full walk in closet full of dresses, battle armor, and older clothes for training. As Bulma looked through the abundance of dresses, she finally settled on a royal blue one that was made of fine silk. After peeling off her dirty yellow dress, she slipped into the dress and took her hair out of her braid, gently combing out her wavy, turquoise locks.

She walked back into the common room noticing that Vegeta was meditating beside the unlit fireplace. Feeling a bit chilly, Bulma began to put some logs into the fireplace. Once there was a sufficient amount, she channeled her own pale gold ki ball and let the ball turn into a bright flame. She could feel the heat begin to travel throughout the hideout.

In the background, she didn't notice that the Prince was observing her in the dress she was wearing. The royal blue made her turquoise locks stand out and instead of washing out her skin, it appeared more luminous. Just seeing how the dress hugged her curves was driving him mad. He slowly brought himself to a halt, knowing that no matter how much he wanted to, he couldn't mate with her until the battle ceased. As he tried to refocus his meditation, he could feel Goku's ki approaching the hideout.

"What is wrong?" Bulma asked, noticing his facial expression.

"It is Kakarot." He grumbled, keeping his eyes closed. Bulma saw that upon their arrival, Goku was carrying an injured Yamcha, while Piccolo helped Tien in.

"Where are the nearest rooms?" Goku questioned, keeping Yamcha's body from falling to the ground.

"This way." Bulma slowly showed them to the rooms across from the master suite, "Themistocles, could you be a dear and find me some supplies?"

"Of course, your Grace." He responded, moving quickly. After rummaging through some cabinets and drawers, the warrior quickly handed his rightful ruler what she needed.

"I will take that from you. Their wounds have to be properly tended to." Goku gently took the supplies from her and began to work.

"What happened to you all? Was the ambush that horrible?" Bulma asked, gently sitting on a small chair.

"It is just minor wounds, your Highness. Nothing we cannot handle." Yamcha tried to act as if he hadn't just been knocked around more than a handful of times.

Krillin resisted the urge to roll his eyes. This wasn't the time for him to show off. "It would be a lie to say that it was not bad. It was so difficult to see where they were all coming from."

"Speak for yourself." Camilla mumbled, crossing her arms.

Goku directed his attention to Vegeta, since he was absent from the fight. "I agree with Camilla, to a certain degree. They were not entirely too bad, but Krillin is right in the sense that they did put up a decent fight."

"The Queen has already taken notice of the battle and will most likely force them to train harder. If we desire to beat them, then we must train even harder. As of right now, we are outnumbered." Raditz let out a sigh, crossing his arms.

_I know Puar will come through for us. She always has and always will, _Bulma thought, silently. The princess knew that the battle was drawing closer. She just hoped they would be prepared for any given possibilities.

* * *

><p><strong>So I will admit that this isn't my best work, but given the fact that I really haven't updated anything as of lately, I decided to do what I could. It's just when you work nearly full time and go to school full time, it's really difficult and frustrating to find time to yourself before you have to repeat everything the next day. So again, I'm sorry to all you guys out there who have been waiting so patiently. I will try to make a greater effort to update sooner. Keep calm my lovelies!<strong>

**Cherries**


End file.
